Latest news with #RodneyParade
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Cai Evans eyeing autumn comeback after new Dragons deal
The 25-year-old is on the comeback trail after rupturing his right Achilles in the European Challenge Cup defeat to Pau in January. Evans is eyeing an autumn comeback and has agreed a fresh deal with the club that will keep him at Rodney Parade for at least one year, with clauses for an option beyond that. The twice-capped back will add to the 20 appearances he has made since heading east from the Ospreys, fuelled by a frustrating campaign. Evans missed the start of last season with a hamstring problem and went off just 35 minutes into his comeback game at Connacht. He returned in the winter but then his Achilles snapped as he was getting into position to claim a high ball against Pau, ending his campaign after just six outings. BLOW: Cai Evans ruptured his right Achilles in the Dragons' loss to Pau (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency) He said: 'I'm delighted to re-sign with the Dragons, a proud club, and I'm grateful for the opportunity once again to showcase my ability. 'I am driven to move forward from what has been a challenging season with significant injuries, and I am massively thankful for the support I've received from the staff and my teammates. 'What hasn't wavered is my self-belief, and I can't wait to get my boots back on and play in front of a rocking Rodney Parade soon. 'The drive on the pitch is to achieve more consistent and winning performances. The signings we've made, alongside a talented group of young players, will hopefully turn these narrow losses into wins. I can't wait to be a part of it.' Evans and Angus O'Brien can play both 10 and 15, new signing Tinus de Beer and Wales Under-20s international Harri Ford are contenders at fly-half while Huw Anderson had a breakthrough season and is an option at full-back along with Ewan Rosser. The Dragons released Lloyd Evans and Jordan Williams at the end of last season while playmaker Will Reed cut short his contract in order to get regular game time with Worcester in the English Championship. DEAL: Dragons full-back/fly-half Cai Evans has signed a new contract (Image: Gruffydd Thomas/Huw Evans Agency) Evans will add to head coach Filo Tiatia's options after the opening months of a campaign, which gets under way on at Ulster on Friday, September 26. 'We're pleased that Cai is staying with us and looking forward to him coming back to full fitness,' said the boss. 'Cai has been unfortunate over the last 12 months, particularly as he was producing some good performances before his injury. 'His ability to play in both the 10 and 15 jersey is an asset to our squad and he is a hard-working individual who is determined and focussed on making a successful playing return next season.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Evans agrees new Dragons deal
Wales international Cai Evans has agreed a new deal with Dragons. The 25-year-old - who can play at either full-back or fly-half - has made 20 appearances for the region, scoring 97 points. He is currently recovering from a ruptured Achilles he suffered during the Challenge Cup in January. Evans said he was "delighted" to re-sign with a "proud club". "I am driven to move forward from what has been a challenging season with significant injuries, and I am massively thankful for the support I've received from the staff and my teammates," he said. Wales lock Davies joins Dragons from Cardiff Wing Hewitt to leave Dragons at end of season "What hasn't wavered is my self-belief, and I can't wait to get my boots back on and play in front of a rocking Rodney Parade soon. "The drive on the pitch is to achieve more consistent and winning performances. The signings we've made, alongside a talented group of young players, will hopefully turn these narrow losses into wins. I can't wait to be a part of it." Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia said Evans' ability to play in two positions is "an asset" to the squad. "He is a hard-working individual who is determined and focussed on making a successful playing return next season," he said.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Evans agrees new Dragons deal
Wales international Cai Evans has agreed a new deal with Dragons. The 25-year-old - who can play at either full-back or fly-half - has made 20 appearances for the region, scoring 97 is currently recovering from a ruptured Achilles he suffered during the Challenge Cup in January. Evans said he was "delighted" to re-sign with a "proud club"."I am driven to move forward from what has been a challenging season with significant injuries, and I am massively thankful for the support I've received from the staff and my teammates," he said. "What hasn't wavered is my self-belief, and I can't wait to get my boots back on and play in front of a rocking Rodney Parade soon."The drive on the pitch is to achieve more consistent and winning performances. The signings we've made, alongside a talented group of young players, will hopefully turn these narrow losses into wins. I can't wait to be a part of it."Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia said Evans' ability to play in two positions is "an asset" to the squad."He is a hard-working individual who is determined and focussed on making a successful playing return next season," he said.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Overseas star to leave Welsh club a year early as owner makes feelings on season clear
Overseas star to leave Welsh club a year early as owner makes feelings on season clear The centre will be leaving Rodney Parade 12 months early Harry Wilson of Dragons (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Australian centre Harry Wilson is set to leave the Dragons a year early after a difficult first season at Rodney Parade. The 24-year-old was signed from Super Rugby outfit Waratahs last summer, with high hopes surrounding the back. However, his first season failed to take off despite the odd promising outing - with Wilson starting just five of his 12 appearances for the Men of Gwent. And as the Dragons look to rebuild after a disastrous campaign that saw them lose 17 United Rugby Championship matches in a row, Wilson has been ushered to the exit door at Rodney Parade. The Australia dotted down just once for the club, against Munster back in January. He departs with Moana Pasifika centre Fine Inisi having been signed for next season, as part of a busy recruitment drive by Filo Tiatia's side. Last week, Wales second-row Seb Davies became the Dragons' eighth new signing, alongside Tinus de Beer, Thomas Young, Wyn Jones, Dillon Lewis, Inisi, Levi Douglas and Harry Beddall. South African prop Robert Hunt is also set to join, while the club are understood to be in the market for a scrum-half, No. 8 and outside centre. Article continues below Wilson's departure opens the door for another non-Welsh qualified centre, while it's understood one of the Dragons' back-row targets might have agreed a deal in Japan for next season. Wilson's early exit comes as Dragons co-owner David Buttress spoke out about needing to be ruthless in turning the Rodney Parade club's fortunes around. "The question is what you do about it?" said Buttress on the Dragons' Lair podcast. "You take responsibility as owners for creating this environment and situation we're in. "You need to shift out players who are clearly caught in bad habits. This is the culture of the place we're in. "Secondly, you need to bring in players who come from environments where the opposite is true. So they know what good looks like and they know how to close out situations. "That's the only way you can move it forward. There's no excuses for it. In professional sport, you have to win. I feel like the Dragons has got itself caught in this mindset that it's OK to lose. It's not OK. He added: "I've probably come a little bit hard over the last few years that it's just not good enough. That's why I didn't go to the awards dinner. I don't want to condone a season where we win one league game. "That is a disgrace for me. If it was Just Eat, my old business, I would let people go for that. I would be quite ruthless over that. "It just has to change." Last summer's recruitment has been pointed to by Buttress previously. Fly-half Lloyd Evans has left after a season, while Solomone Funaki failed to make an appearance in an injury-hit debut campaign. "I look back and I'm annoyed at myself because owners have to take responsibility," added Buttress. "I didn't do my own due diligence enough. If I go back to my business life, if I was making an investment in two or three key decisions that were going to be critical, I'd be all over the detail on that. "I think in professional sport, you automatically think that, as an owner you invest the money and support the financials and there's people around you are doing the same level of due diligence. The truth is they weren't. I don't think we'll ever make that mistake again as owners. That's our fault as owners. That's my fault. "In a weird way, I love the Dragons. Sometimes caring about something is not enough. That has to translate into doing something. "Love means you make sure it does the best you can do. Last year, I didn't get into the detail enough. Article continues below "I don't think I did that homework and I regret that. I think our recruitment has been a lot better this year, but I feel we've lost a year. "I feel like we've lost confidence and goodwill with some people that we shouldn't have lost confidence with. "We've tried to get recruitment right for this season. I feel very cautiously optimistic that our recruitment is a tonne better than it was last year. Hopefully that stands us in good stead for the coming year."
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Hughes and Hatswell could be a 'recipe for success' - O'Brien
Former defender Mark O'Brien believes the combination of new manager David Hughes and returning assistant boss Wayne Hatswell could be a "recipe for success" for Newport 47, has signed a two-year deal at the League Two club, leaving his role as under-21s coach at Manchester Welshman replaces Nelson Jardim who left the Exiles two weeks before the end of a season which saw County finish 22nd in the league 50, was previously number two at Newport under Mike Flynn and leaves a role in the Football Association of Wales (FAW) age-grade set-up to return to Rodney Parade."Realistically I think it's a really positive appointment and to add to that I think the appointment of Wayne Hatswell coming in alongside him is another massive thing for the club," O'Brien told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast."He's someone who has probably been through a lot with Newport and seen a lot of positives so to add that experience along with a new manager who understands what it's like to work with young players - being at Manchester United's under-21s - there's going to be a level of standards that will be expected of the players next year."[Hatswell's] record speaks for itself where he's taken Newport to really big heights over seasons when I played there and hopefully Dave Hughes is going to be somebody who refines that a little bit more and who looks like he's going to be able to work with young players, which the Newport County squad have a lot of. It could be a very good recipe for success that has come in the door."
