THE Dragons have axed defence coach Hendre Marnitz after their horror start to the season.

The Rodney Parade region had hoped for a big improvement after recording just two Guinness PRO14 wins in 2017/18 but the pressure has been heaped on head coach Bernard Jackman and his management team after a disappointing opening three months.

It is South African assistant Marnitz, who was one of Jackman’s first appointments in the summer of 2017, that has paid the price for a start to the campaign that sees them sit bottom of Conference B with a lower points tally than anyone in Conference A.

With the Dragons’ budget for the season spent, the head coach will take over in charge of defence until the end of the season.

The Dragons leaked 94 tries in 21 games in the PRO14 last season, a record that led to an ill-fated summer chase for the services of Wales defence guru Shaun Edwards as a consultant to help Marnitz.

The rugby league legend instead signed a deal to work exclusively with the Ospreys and as a result national head coach Warren Gatland led some defensive sessions at the Dragons’ Ystrad Mynach training base at the start of October.

But despite a big summer recruitment drive, the woes have continued – last season every side that hosted them in the PRO14 won with a bonus point and the trend has continued at Leinster, Glasgow, Ulster and Connacht.

They have conceded 33 tries in eight league fixtures and Northampton crossed the line five times in a damaging European Challenge Cup loss in Newport.

Marnitz has been removed and Jackman will take the lead in trying the shore up the leaky defence.

Managing director Mike Davies said: "On behalf of the Dragons I would like to thank Hendre for the contribution he has made to the team and wish him well in his future endeavours."