The Former Australian Rugby League national coach Chris Anderson will head up the coaching team with the former Wales assistant coach Leigh Jones acting as his assistant.
Jim McCreedy will once again act as team manager with the overall responsibility for the running of the Dragons team matters. The Dragons will also benefit from having two fitness trainers, Ryan Campbell and Phil Ramsey who will assist the Dragons but will also be responsible for the Academy, and a physiotherapist, Mike Delahay.
Chief executive Andy Marinos said: ‘Chris has signed a two year contract to coach The Dragons and we are delighted to have such an experienced rugby professional at the club.
‘Chris brings with him one of the greatest CVs in world rugby league as both a player and a coach over the past 35 years. He has played in all the great arenas, and with some of the greatest teams of all time, and been the brains behind some of the most successful sides in both hemispheres.
‘While rugby league has been his game, we feel he will bring the right kind of qualities to The Dragons to both challenge and improve our side.
‘He is a proven winner on the rugby field and that is why we have brought him to Wales.
‘Chris is an excellent man manager, a great organiser and knows how to prepare teams to win competitions – mentally, physically and tactically.
‘For too long in Wales we have relied on one or two teams to carry the flag in theHeineken Cup. I’ve looked at the squad of players we have here, examined last season’s record and quickly realised we needed someone who could take us to the next level.
‘We interviewed a number of excellent candidates for the coaching role,but decided that Chris was the one person who had the style, experience and creativity to take this team on.
‘People have asked me about Chris’ rugby union knowledge after a lifetime spent playing and coaching in the 13-a-side game, but he has studied the game over a long period of time and has recently been helping with the coaching at the Southern Districts club in Sydney. In addition, two Wallaby coaches, Bob Dwyer and Eddie Jones, fully endorsed his credentials.
‘He will become the highest profile rugby league coach to cross the divide between the two codes and will join some familiar faces on the European circuit – Phil Larder, Shaun Edwards, Joe Lydon and Clive Griffiths among them.
The bottom line is that we believe Chris has got something different and very special to offer The Dragons’ players and fans.
‘He will have one of Welsh rugby’s finest technical coaches backing him up in Leigh Jones and he will also be able to call upon the experience and expertise of The Dragons’
Player Development Manager David Rees at any time. A strong coaching mix for a vital season.’
