Davies: I can't wait to work with Dragons prop Brown

Former hooker Davies will be part of Dean Ryan's management team when the Rodney Parade region get the green light to return to training for the expected August derbies in the Guinness PRO14.

The 2005 Grand Slam winner heads to the Dragons from Worcester and replaces Ceri Jones as forwards coach, with Luke Narraway his assistant.

Davies will keep a close eye on the set piece, which has made strides in recent seasons, and is especially excited about working with Brown.

The 23-year-old from Newport had a superb 2019/20, responding to the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup to put in strong club performances that earned Six Nations appearances off the bench for Wayne Pivac's Wales team.

"I'm looking forward to working with the front row, as I have a massive interest in that area and the scrum. I'm happy with what I am going to be working with," said Davies on S4C.

"I've had my eyes on someone like Leon Brown – he's a young prop that really stands out.

"It is nice to get a new challenge and work with new boys, someone like (Wales wing and summer signing from Leicester) Jonah Holmes.

"It's an exciting prospect and we need to try and change the way people think about the Dragons. It's a challenge but I will be working with a group of players that interest me and hopefully we will all grow."

Davies played for Ryan at Gloucester after the collapse of the Celtic Warriors and then joined the former England forward's coaching team at Worcester.

The 47-year-old, who won 39 caps, is looking forward to returning to the training pitch in Ystrad Mynach with the director of rugby, who enjoyed a promising first campaign with the Dragons.

Davies said: "I worked in England with Dean and, of course, he's a proud Englishman, I can't put it any other way than that!

"I'd say that I'm Welsh to the core, so in terms of our relationship we're completely different people but we get on well.

"Dean has settled in Welsh rugby and I think it's been a good thing for him to leave England. I'd have to agree that it was good for me to leave Wales too, just concentrating on the rugby."

Davies has had to settle for meeting his new charges on the computer while Welsh rugby is in lockdown.

Preparations are set to ramp up shortly in the disrupted PRO14 campaign, with the Dragons set to face the Ospreys and Scarlets to end the season.

"We've had wellbeing meet-ups as a group and a few weeks ago had a social gathering over Zoom, the title of night was 'Dragons Got Talent'.

"I was sat in my t-shirt in my house and everyone was having barbecues. There was over 50 of us. It is strange, but that is the times in which we are living."