T
hese are exciting times for the Newport Gwent Dragons. After years of anticipation the redevelopment is under way. The current phase is on schedule with the new Bisley stand to be completed in time for the start of the 2011/12 season. The new season is set to bring many interesting changes to Rodney Parade and to the Dragons. Purely on the redevelopment front there is the Bisley stand replacing the Argus Terrace. With the relocated hospitality boxes and business and premium clubs the Dragons hope to offer a better match-day experience to nearly three thousand spectators. Existing parts of the ground are also benefiting from the update. The Hazell stand is being modernised with improved bars and modern facilities being added.
The Dragons' 2010/11 season ended with a sign of what all these improvements could bring to the pitch and to the actual game. In the Magners League the team enjoyed an almost unbeaten home streak at Rodney Parade. Victories were won over old rivals the Cardiff Blues as well as the other Welsh regions and heavy-weight sides such as Munster. Despite some losses the Men of Gwent still managed to rank as seventh overall in the Magners with hopes that can improve on that next season.
Chief Executive Mike Jenkins has great expectations of what the redevelopment will mean to the Dragons players and supporters. "I've spoken to some of the player's, in particular some of the senior players that have been here a long time and have been promised many things. There is a palpable sense that this is a region that's moving places. A lot of those players, and those just coming in, have really been sold on the basis of the new facilities and they can see that we're a region that's on the up. We have to convert on the pitch - people aren't going to use the facility if they don't enjoy what they see on the pitch. We managed to do that last season. Obviously what we're looking for is to do it consistently over the whole of the season and if we do that then people will flock here."
A better season seems likely with the Dragons squad full of players giving them a depth of performance that the club could be said to have been missing these past years. Exciting young players include Toby Faletau and Dan Lydiate who are amongst the five Dragons that have been called up to this year's World Cup squad. Faletau missed out on the Six Nations with an ankle injury but his performance last season earned him several young player awards from the Welsh Rugby Players' Association, the Welsh Rugby Writers Association and the Magners League. Lydiate has left his potentially career-ending injury far behind to become a regular addition to the national squad. Although it will be tough for the team to miss these crucial players, it has been shown time and time again that there is a wealth of talent in the region waiting to step up and seize the opportunity. As the Magners League becomes the RaboDirect Pro 12, so the Dragons are moving onto an exciting new era with hopefully many successes to come.
Pictures courtesy of Ron Sutcliffe
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