Dragons sack Dean Ryan one game into new season

Dragons RFC have made the bold move of sacking director of rugby Dean Ryan just one game into the new season – RugbyPass understands.

The decision comes after Ryan publically berated the players after their 44-6 loss to Edinburgh at DAM Stadium in their opening game of the URC season.

RugbyPass has been told that Ryan was absent from training during the week and that he was informed of the decision this Friday morning.

Dragon’s dismal 2021/22 season ended without the Welsh region winning a game at home. They won just two games in the regular URC season and lost every game of the Challenge Cup in the Europe.

Ryan’s bad-tempered assessments of the players had become a regular feature during last season’s dire campaign but the former England flanker getting stuck into his charges just one game into the campaign raised eyebrows in Newport.

Ryan was clearly unhappy after the game, stating: “We’ve got supposed talent in this squad, but I don’t see it at the moment. I don’t see the work rate that was needed or the desire to be in the right position. We need to hold some hard conversations about how that can happen in the first game of the season.”

There were no quotes on Friday from Ryan when the team was announced for their first home game of the season against Munster at Rodney Parade this Sunday.

Head Coach Dai Flanagan will take the reins at the side, who may not be in a hurry to appoint a new director of rugby.

While there has been no official line from the Dragons, Flanagan said ahead of the Munster game: “We’re looking forward to being back on home soil and looking for a response after our opening performance. Munster don’t lose twice on the bounce often, so we must respect them.

“But we’ve also got to look after what we can look after, and we’ve got to show improvement.

“We’ve got to fight for each other, fight for the area we come from and it’s a chance to show that at Rodney Parade.”

Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams; Aki Seiuli, Bradley Roberts, Lloyd Fairbrother, George Nott, Will Rowlands (c), Sean Lonsdale, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rob Evans, Chris Coleman, Ben Carter, Aaron Wainwright, Lewis Jones, Max Clark, Jordan Williams