The frank conversation that could just end Dragons' depressing history of losing
When Dragons chairman David Buttress arrived at Rodney Parade in September 2017, he outlined his ambition to turn the region into Wales’ best within five years.
“I think that’s a very realistic and achievable objective,” Buttress said at the time. A few weeks previously then-head coach Bernard Jackman had claimed it could be achieved in three.
Jackman departed last December having overseen five wins in 31 PRO14 games, and this week Buttress was back in the Bisley Stand to announce his permanent successor, Dean Ryan.
It has been a long season, with caretaker head coach Ceri Jones leading the Dragons to a second successive sixth-placed finish in Conference B as the chairman juggled the search for a new boss – his first such appointment – with the off-field uncertainty of Project Reset.
Buttress admits the past 20 months have been testing but insists he is enjoying life at the Dragons.
“I started a business with a mate of mine in a flat with no money. Literally, no money – literally none – for the first year or two,” the former Just Eat UK chief executive told RugbyPass.
“Going home and telling your mrs that you’ve made 36 quid between two of you in the first month of trading, so you’ve got 18 quid left, and then six months later running out of money as a business and having to find a way to run on fumes.
“If you want to know what tough feels like professionally, that’s tough. That’s really tough.
“This, of course, is a different challenge but what I’d say is the reason why I enjoy it so much is I can see a way that we build something here that is going to be really different and special in Welsh rugby.
“Is that going to be easy? No. Is there risk in it? Yes, definitely. But I’m hopeful, you know. I think if we all are clear about what we want to do and we all do our jobs well, then I think we’ve got a good chance.”
Tellingly bombast was absent on Tuesday as Buttress sat in an executive box alongside Ryan as the former Bristol, Gloucester and Worcester boss was unveiled as the new director of Dragons Rugby, a position that includes a place on the region’s board.
The only timeline offered was the six to eight months that Ryan believes it will take him to understand the challenges faced by the Dragons and what needs to be done to help turn the region with the smallest playing budget in Wales into contenders.
“Dean and I, of course, have actually been through a process together,” Buttress said.
“We have actually both had really frank and open discussions about a) what needs to be done and b) how hard it’s going to be, and, actually, c) what we both think of how we should go about it.
“And so, I think what we have now which we didn’t have before is really clear alignment between Dean and I about what needs to get done and in what time.
“And I think that alignment is probably the single most important factor around why this will be a long-term partnership. And I’m sure it will be.”
Buttress speaks highly of the work Jackman did off the field while at the Dragons – “often the person that makes the tough decisions isn’t necessarily the benefactor of those tough decisions” – but the job facing Ryan in Gwent is stark.
In a disappointing season for Welsh sides in the PRO14, the Ospreys won 12 matches to finish highest of the four regions. By contrast, the Dragons won five games last term and have amassed only 11 victories in the past three campaigns combined.
Ryan inherits a squad that looked thin in key positions before nine players departed at the end of the regular season. He will also be without up to five internationals due to the Rugby World Cup when he begins work over the summer, but Buttress knows this is a long-term project.
“Success is three things for me,” he added. “First of all, [it’s] that we’ve built a successful team on the pitch that everyone’s proud of.
“That means, obviously, we’re winning games and people are enjoying us and how we play. So, we’re successful on the pitch and we play in a way that people want to be part of and it feels, to local people here in Gwent, a team that they are standing behind.
“I think the second thing for me – this is probably specific to me – I want to build something sustainable. So, I want to build something that my grankids can come to in 30 years’ time and enjoy rugby here because we’ve built something around the Dragons that is a sustainable rugby entity.
“And what does that mean? It means that it’s self-sustaining. So, if everything else changes in the world, we’ve built a club here that really does just take care of itself and run well from a financial perspective. So, I’m probably most responsible or feel most responsible for that.
“I think the third thing is it’s fun. I think people forget sometimes – what business are we in?
“We’re in the business of playing rugby and professional sport, and I think it should be fun for both people who work here and people who come here.
“I think sometimes in Welsh rugby we take ourselves a little bit too seriously, so, I think just being light-hearted and having some fun around it is something I’m looking forward to. Because it’s great to have hard work but you want to enjoy it too.”
On Tuesday, Buttress reiterated his belief that it would be best for all four regions if the Dragons were independent from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), who bought them – and Rodney Parade – outright in 2017.
He has held talks with private investors interested in buying a majority stake in the region but does not believe those need to be concluded before redevelopment work can begin in NP19.
Buttress has long identified development of the north end of the nine-acre Rodney Parade site as a way to generate revenue.
“The WRU has a very long and successful track record of developing various assets,” he said. “I think whoever owned this club would want to do pretty much similar things.”
Buttress added: “I think what you would have here – which you wouldn’t have if it wasn’t independent – is you have a hundred per cent focus on making it happen if [the Dragons are] privately owned.
“Of course if it’s part of a much bigger group it sits in the priorities alongside other big priorities, whereas around here if it’s independently owned as the Dragons, it is the single and most important priority.”
Comments on RugbyPass
AI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to comments