Dragons to appoint Dean Ryan as new head coach

Former Worcester Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan is set to leave the RFU to become the new head coach of the Dragons.

As revealed by The Rugby Paper’s Neil Fissler and Steffan Thomas, Ryan will vacate his position as the RFU’s head of international player development to take the reins at Rodney Parade.

Team matters have been in the temporary charge of Ceri Jones since the sacking of Bernard Jackson last December.

And while fellow Welsh regions Ospreys and Scarlets had their own mid-season troubles surrounding ‘Project Reset’, the Dragons won’t be looking back at a campaign where they have won a mere five games out of 21.

Dragons hooker Elliot Dee admitted to TRP the ambiguity over the long-term vision for the club had been unsettling to the squad.

“We definitely need to get the coaching situation nailed down. I can’t lie about that,” the Wales international said.

“With us not knowing what’s happening with the coach at the moment and not being able to sign boys with the budget, it has been really tough.

“Nobody wants to be in a team with so much uncertainty and with boys worrying about their jobs and not knowing who they need to impress.

“We just hope it gets sorted soon and we can move on from what’s been a tough season.”

And now the PRO14 outfit have their man, an official announcement confirming Ryan to the head coach post is expected within the next 24 hours.

A former consultant with the club back in 2012, Ryan was on a four-man shortlist which included outgoing Wales assistant head coach Rob Howley and Georgia forwards guru Graham Rowntree.