Chris Kirwan, SWA writes :

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have reached out to their Premiership clubs to bolster their ranks for the coming campaign.

The region have increased their financial investment in player partnerships – where the Dragons and a club share funding – so that they have more full-timers at their disposal.

Coach Paul Turner was forced to dip into the Premiership at the end of last season when injuries ravaged his squad but the region will now have around 60 players on their books as opposed to 37.

The likes of Newport’s Andrew Coombs, Cross Keys’ Lloyd Burns, Jevon Groves, Nathan Buck and Steffan Jones and Bedwas’ Phil Price and Tom Cooper will all train with the Dragons in the week before turning out for their clubs if not required for Magners League or Heineken Cup action.

It is a policy that will take a small chunk out of the budget that could otherwise be spent on a seasoned professional but it will help breed more local talent, strengthen links with the clubs and increase their player pool.

“We are investing more money in developing players than in the region’s history and I am excited by that,” said rugby manager Robert Beale. Last year our squad was reduced dramatically to 37 players, of which 32 were senior contracted players. Next season we will probably have around 60 with 40 seniors, the rest will be a mixture of development contracts, dual-contracted players and academy prospects.

“It is an important investment and one that targets the biggest challenge to whether a player can make it or not – the ability to train full-time. The likes of Coombs and Burns showed they have the potential when they came into the squad at the end of the season and did really well. But until they are able to train day in day out, week in week out you are never going to know whether they can be a professional rugby player.”

Pontypool’s successful battle to avoid relegation meant they were unable to be part of the scheme as most of the work towards sorting contracts was at the turn of the year but they will still play a key role.

The older members of the Academy – the likes of Wales Under-20s skipper Dan Watchurst - will be based with Newport while Pooler will get the younger talent and be first port of call if senior Dragons need game time. And Beale believes that the success of Coombs and Burns last season will provide encouragement to club players.

“We watch plenty of Premiership rugby and we know who is performing well,” he said. “Players will get their opportunity and there is a pathway for them to go full-time. There is only so much we can do financially and we have to make sure we select the right ones but there is a lot of effort being put in. We want more players to come through and are certainly moving in the right direction as a region.”