Dragons appoint Dean Ryan as rugby consultant

Dragons appoint Dean Ryan as rugby consultan


NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have appointed Dean Ryan as a rugby consultant for the region.

The former England back row is widely experienced, having played in the English Premiership with Saracens, Wasps, Newcastle and Bristol.

His coaching career saw him hold the reins at Gloucester Rugby for five years before moving into consultancy alongside his media career as a Sky Sports analyst.

Dragons Chief Executive Chris Brown said: “We have a talented coaching team at Rodney Parade and the addition of Dean’s expertise will only add to the quality we are looking to build on here at the Dragons.

“His experience of top flight rugby puts him in a position to offer support to our coaches and management. We are delighted to have him on board.”

The Dragons seem to like bringing in people as 'rugby consultants'. It was not too long ago that they brought in Lyn Jones into the same role. Fingers crossed that Dean Ryan has the same sort of impact, as at the moment there is very little separating the Dragons and the Blues.

In fairness Dean Ryan seems to be a pretty decent coach, and also an honest enough sort of bloke. I can't see why he wouldn't do well for the Dragons.

Great for the Dragons, Dean Ryan commands respect but he also is happy to earn it, he should bring a bit more of an edge in coaching the pack.

viewtothegym wrote:Great for the Dragons, Dean Ryan commands respect but he also is happy to earn it, he should bring a bit more of an edge in coaching the pack.

And to be honest if they can get their pack sorted out (well tight five) they definately have the rest of the side who are very capable of playing some cracking attacking rugby.

I completely agree scarlet spiderman, they have a competitive back row but if they get on the front foot the backs have and can score some cracking tries

This should prove to be a great move for the Dragons. Ryan is still hugely respected amongst the Glaws fans. He is incredibly knowledgable and will really help the forwards.

Great news. Some will moan that he's not Welsh, but not me. We've proven that, just like the players for the national team, the depth of coaching staff in Wales isn't that great. Therefore we sometimes need to look outside.

If I remember rightly we seemed to improve a bit under the guidance of Lyn Jones, but then he went to London Welsh (and is doing great IMO). Ryan seems articulate and intelligent, and knows a hell of a lot about the game. As others have said it's the pack that struggles. Solve that and we'll be OK with a decent set of backs. Good luck Dean.

Hopefully they wont be having to Save Ryan's Privates if things go Pete Tonge!

Another 'coach for hire' type scenario where no responsibility will be put on Dean and he'll earn a huge pay packet for criticising everything the coaching staff does!!!

He'll then throw an idea or 2 into the mix and the Dragons will focus on that for the next 2 seasons and continue without any real innovative thinking, idea's of their own or any real clue!!!

This is why I am starting to physically hate welsh rugby, just have the balls to try something new, give someone a shot and give it a go!!!

They gave Darren 'a shot' and he'a taken us backwards. We've finally brought in a professional, how is this bad news ?

He hasn't been brought in, Edwards isn't going anywhere. Dean will come in and sit in a thousand meetings, watch a hundred training sessions and do little but criticise for the sake of it, then he'll impliment 1 or 2 ideas that he found elsewhere and the Dragons will focus on that instead of working on their all round weakness's.

The role of a consultant is so poor you could pick a fan out of the terraces and he will do it for free.

Bluesman get a life

thebluesmancometh wrote:He hasn't been brought in, Edwards isn't going anywhere. Dean will come in and sit in a thousand meetings, watch a hundred training sessions and do little but criticise for the sake of it, then he'll impliment 1 or 2 ideas that he found elsewhere and the Dragons will focus on that instead of working on their all round weakness's.

The role of a consultant is so poor you could pick a fan out of the terraces and he will do it for free.

A few years ago Lyn Jones was used as a rugby consultant at the Dragons, and he was pretty much prowling the touchlines every match, and doing the interview work on s4c (welsh speaking helps with that so I guess Ryan won't do that bit). But he was definately more than some suit telling the Dragons that they are doing things either right or wrong. I assume that Ryan will be doing the same.

Some good news at last!

There was talk about Ryan being in for the Connacht job.

Well we'll see the net result, and how much do you think Ryan will cost to have no pressure on him to perform, no KPI's and no consequences.

thebluesmancometh wrote:How much do you think Ryan will cost to have no pressure on him to perform, no KPI's and no consequences.

We don't know the details and neither do you, although you certainly seem to think you do.

No I don't infact the first Ive heard is on here, but Consultancy roles aren't uncommon, and from most of the ones I've come across they benefit one side heavily!!!

Don't get me wrong, I like Ryan, and he could certainly add something to the Dragons, but lets be honest at this point in time you could pluck a fan from the crowd and get a net gain in performance.

Ryan will not be cheap, and he will not have particularly stringent terms put on him IMO

thebluesmancometh wrote:No I don't infact the first Ive heard is on here, but Consultancy roles aren't uncommon, and from most of the ones I've come across they benefit one side heavily!!!

Don't get me wrong, I like Ryan, and he could certainly add something to the Dragons, but lets be honest at this point in time you could pluck a fan from the crowd and get a net gain in performance.

Ryan will not be cheap, and he will not have particularly stringent terms put on him IMO

Blues, you're supposedly an Aviva Premisership level coach according to your thread the other day, but you do your credibility no favours with flippant comments like that. Time to stop posting cr*p about coaches and players on here if you aspire to work with them one day. You don't see other pro coaches on here throwing 'round accusations and putting people down. That's called 'professionalism'.

No I am not an AP level coach!!

Who exactly am I slating? Ryan? Edwards?

I have stated that the Dragons are not where they want to be, have struggled in the last few seasons since Edwards has taken charge (kinda highlights how good a job Turner was doing don't you think?) and that at this moment in time the Dragons have so many better ways to spend their money than on a consultancy role.

My gripe here is with noone in particular, but the money spent for a consultancy role when a fan from the crowd could tell you problems with the playing squad for nothing!! With regards to fixing those problems how about in Wales we think outside the box, create answers, be a little more innovative than get someone in to tell us what to do!!!!

"I am interviewing with a premiership club soon, and being a welshman I am a tad nervous of the differences between my own coaching techniques, and some of my premiership equivilants. Don't get me wrong Ive worked with professional rugby clubs/players before, In a number of differing roles but never in England. The English elite coaches I have met have been a varied bunch, from the quiet thinkers to the manic hooligans."

Sorry, this post by you suggests that you're going for AP coaching jobs???

My gripe with you is that you say a fan could change the dragons performances more than a pro coach could. On what basis? What evidence do you have for this? Even top coaches struggle to get a team to produce the goods. Plenty of coaches have failed but gone on to do well elsewhere. So, plucking someone from the crowd is not going to help, is it?

Everyone's been moaning about the dragons' lack of ambition. They're clearly skint, but at least this show's they're trying to do something about it. And of course, this will have been sanctioned by our joint owners the WRU. Seeing as we need their permission to sign players and coaches, then they must get the say over consultants too. So if the WRU can see some value in this as the national governing body for our sport here in Wales, then that's good enough for me too.

You have been very vocal of the Dragons poor form, lack of progression, failure of Edwards, etc. Now they try something new and you're still critical. What, in your eyes, should the Dragons have done???

Please re read my post... Interviewing with an AP club doesn't mean I was going for a head coach role!!! There are a million roles within clubs to apply for!!

I have not slated Edwards or Ryan, they are both very good coaches, and at no point have I called anything Edwards has done as a failure!!!

I have also not singled out the Dragons failings, but of Welsh failings in the sport, and the UK wide failings also!!!

Lets not try and say that I am anti Dragons, they are very close to my heart, as are the Blues and I am most passionate about them which means I can get a little too emotionally charged at times!!!

Firstly do the Dragons HAVE to run coach and players appointments to the WRU? I thought it was more of a budgetary threshold kinda situation, not a name by name report. Also who exactly do the Dragons have as their WRU contact? Who makes the contact for the Dragons? and who makes the cases for X,Y or Z?

Anyhoo back to what I think your offended by...

If I were to come to you and say, go and watch Dragons training sessions, go and view their games, sit in a hundred meetings with players, coaches, owners regarding tactics, ethos, techniques etc what kind of job would you say you could perform to aid the Dragons performances??? Out of 10, actually rate your potential input.

Once again my issue is with the consultancy element of this, paying another coach to come in take a look at whats being done, criticise and give an indication of what could be changed...

This says to me Edwards is all out of idea's, has done everything he can but cannot take the squad any further, he is to learn from someone else and progress as a coach without earning any more.

No, it says to me that our director of rugby is out of his depth, which is a common view in a number of circles. Other teams have established, experienced coaches in these roles. Tell me what Rob Beale brings to the table sitting above Edwards in the pecking order? Think of the other DORs in UK rugby. Beale is nowhere near them. That, for me, is why Dean is coming in. To provide the DOR role that Beale is not to fulfil.

And to answer your question, yes the players and coaches need to be run past the WRU according to an interview I read with Edwards. Can't find it for the life of me, but will try to find it.

Look, I don't mean to pick on you but you're the only person on here being negative! Nothing personal.

our director of rugby is out of his depth

How can I argue with that?!?!?!?!?!

Who is the Dragons contact with the WRU? Does one guy decide or is it a comitee? And what are their agenda's/bias towards players/coaches? Are they looking for a welsh development angle? or return on their investment?


Of course it's not personal, but with Welsh rugby I have developed a negative mentality, and question everything the regions do.

I remember all the positivity over Davies appointment at the blues, then I remember all the flak I got when I slated him pre seasons talking about fitness levels/conditioning/scrum endurance work etc...

I could probably find another 50 times Ive been negative and slated only to be correct sadly.

Re Ryan, he's a good coach IMO, and will definately add to the Dragons, but what kind of price does he command, what will be his motivations for performance? what pressures will be on him? etc etc.

It's mid season, only desperate teams make moves mid season, and desperate teams generally get exploited!!!

Great news

You're going back on what you said now! You said Ryan wouldn't add anything a fan in the crowd couldn't add! Now you're saying he will definitely add something!

Personally I think that he may be able add a layer above Edwards that he can go to for advice, etc. Like a normal DOR would offer, I guess. I don't see the problem. We've got inexperienced guys across the coaching team, so a wise old head like Ryan may be able to bring something new. Appleyard is fairly new to this level of coaching, Iestyn Thomas is fresh outta the box, DE is in his first head coach job (I think?!). I'm all for giving people a chance, but there must be a good support structure. Rob Beale doesn't seem to fit the bill as the man to oversee this, so hopefully this move brings in that experience and rugby nous that's needed.

In answer to the WRU contact, I do not know. But it's not just the dragons if I remember rightly. I think the suggestion was that all regions need to get sign off from the WRU for players they want to bring in. Could have misread though. Think it was a report about Edwards saying they wanted to bring in someone but the WRU didn't agree it so it didn't happen.

What job did you go for?

Of course he'll add something, but for the money he will surely command your better off picking a fan from the crowd!!!

Edwards got this role straight from the U20's, and to my knowledge was just an age grade coach before that?

Appleyard has been coaching since he retired from playing. But as with a lot of coaches in coached with ex players they played with and mates etc...

Thats part of my issue with coaching in Wales, very few learn the craft from bottom up, very few work at coaching and look to constantly improve, and most come from former players who know very little about so many other areas of sport!! It's amazing how everyone thinks that players can go from playing to top coaches within the week!!

I think its a very good but and I would be very happy if he had more of a hands on coach with the Dragons rather than just a consultant.

Great news. I hope he stays put and replaces Edwards eventually. He built quite some team in Gloucester but unfortunately richer clubs nicked their best players.

Not quite sure if he still 'commands respect' around Glaws. The fans blamed their downfall from a competitve Heineken Cup team on him, but now we see that had little to do with him.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Thats part of my issue with coaching in Wales, very few learn the craft from bottom up, very few work at coaching and look to constantly improve, and most come from former players who know very little about so many other areas of sport!! It's amazing how everyone thinks that players can go from playing to top coaches within the week!!

Yes that has been the case unfortunately in Wales. It's a bit different now though. We have guys like Lyn Jones and Nigel Davies getting extra experience elsewhere. Danny Wilson was at the Dragons (I think), he is now Wales U20 coach and Scarlets forwards coach. I'm not sure how long Easterby was coaching but he seems decent enough so far. Now Dragons have brought in some more expertise (Ryan).

However guys like Howley and McBryde, where should they be coaching; Regional or Welsh Premiership?

[quote="Morgannwg"]

thebluesmancometh wrote:

However guys like Howley and McBryde, where should they be coaching; Regional or Welsh Premiership?

Well certainly not at International level

Morgannwg wrote:

Great news. I hope he stays put and replaces Edwards eventually. He built quite some team in Gloucester but unfortunately richer clubs nicked their best players.

Not quite sure if he still 'commands respect' around Glaws. The fans blamed their downfall from a competitve Heineken Cup team on him, but now we see that had little to do with him.

Not sure that's strictly true. Ryan utilised some rather generous funds and there is no way we weren't miles over the salary cap, but he did make a very decent side. The only player we lost that was a first teamer was Anthony Allen. The mass exodus of players coincided with Ryan's departure and it was that which stopped us being a top HC side (and Chris Patterson ability to miss a cow's backside with a banjo!).

His downfall was his refusal to allow players deviate from the game plan and his lack of faith in our half backs, so Ryan Lamb was booted out in favour of the even more unreliable Carlos Spencer. He is certainly still held in high regard by the vast bulk of our supporters and a number of them were even calling for him to return when Redpath left. I think it was recognised that he left as his time had simply come and we needed an injection of fresh ideas. He may have his faults as a DoR, but there is no doubting he is truly an outstanding coach.

[quote="bedfordwelsh"]

Morgannwg wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

However guys like Howley and McBryde, where should they be coaching; Regional or Welsh Premiership?

Well certainly not at International level

Risca 2's need a backs coach. Maybe Howley might find his level there?

Delighted with this appointment. I don't care if Ryan's only there for an hour a week, he's got enough about him to make an impression with us.

Rev,

Has anything ever come out as to why Charvis actually left?

Nah, but I wish he was still there. I'm sure Darren Waters etc would've loved to have worked with him.

I see the westernfail is putting a negative spin on the story but offering little insight on a better option.

I honestly hate negative people.

viewtothegym wrote:I see the westernfail is putting a negative spin on the story but offering little insight on a better option.

I honestly hate negative people.

+1

bedfordwelsh wrote:Rev,

Has anything ever come out as to why Charvis actually left?

I thought it was the drink drive charge and living in Swansea = difficult commute???

Griff wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Rev,

Has anything ever come out as to why Charvis actually left?

I thought it was the drink drive charge and living in Swansea = difficult commute???

I just think that was a cover Griff, whilst I admit that public transport isn't the best I am sure is was still manageable.

What's he doing now anyway? Seems to have gone to ground!

When it was announced he was leaving dave there were rumours he was going to join the Welsh set up but they died off, he did a bit of tv commentary etc but yeah seems to have disappeared.

I saw an advert for the Lions tour, Charvis would go with you, I kid you not.

Did you have to buy his ticket? Oh and drive him to the airport