ACADEMY coach Shaun Connor is confident Newport Gwent Dragons will reap the rewards of having to fling their young guns in at the deep end because of their injury crisis.

It's the time of year when clubs in Wales and England give youth a chance in the LV= Cup but the injury-hit Rodney Parade region have already given Guinness Pro12 opportunities to 11 under-21s.

Hooker Elliot Dee, centres Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan and wing Hallam Amos are already established frontline members of the squad.

Angus O'Brien has made an impression at fly-half while the matchday squad for last weekend's Guinness Pro12 defeat to Ulster in Belfast also featured flankers James Benjamin and Ollie Griffiths, lock Scott Andrews, centre Barney Nightingale and wing Ashton Hewitt.

Scrum-half Luc Jones has played a pair of Pro12 games while flanker Scott Matthews could come into the mix against Harlequins and the Ospreys over the next fortnight.

The injury crisis has left management team Lyn and Kingsley Jones frustrated but Connor, who replaced Byron Hayward as academy skills coach in October, believes the short-term pain will lead to long-term gain.

"I worked with a lot of the boys through Wales Under-18s so I knew about the depth of talent at the region," said the former fly-half.

"Unfortunately a lot of them are all being thrown in together without the old heads to help them because of the injuries but it's giving them valuable experience.

"We probably won't see the full benefits for a couple of years but then they will be flying after everything they have learnt.

"You saw with Angus at Stade Francais, he was thrown in at the deep end and he swam. He will have bad games but will learn from them and they will become less frequent with time."

Connor has his feet back under the table following a spell working as a Welsh Rugby Union development skills coach based at the Ospreys.

Hayward took up a role with the Scarlets in the summer and the new deal between the Welsh Rugby Union and the four regions now sees the quartet taking over the funding of the academies.

A lot has changed since Connor left in 2012 with the 38-year-old now enjoying the plush surroundings of the new £6.8million Caerphilly County Borough Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.

"The new Rugby Services Agreement changed everything and I jumped at the opportunity when it came up here," he said.

"I am here as an academy coach but have been lucky to be involved with the senior team, helping out with the backs and the kicking.

"It's been great and the new facilities make a huge difference. They are world class and it's a lot different to before when we'd be travelling everywhere scrambling around for a pitch."

Connor's academy work cranks up now that the Dragons Under-18s, who beat their Northampton and Wasps counterparts in August, are preparing for the start of their regional championship.

"It will be a challenge because they are a young group but there is plenty of talent in the side," said Connor.