FROM lacking game time and being unable to drown his sorrows at the bar to being in the mix for Championship action and living above a Yorkshire pub, Connor Edwards is desperate to grasp his chance after leaving the Dragons for Doncaster.

Most of 2020/21 has followed a dull pattern for the 23-year-old from Cwmbran – eat, sleep, train, repeat.

Edwards is part of a generation of Welsh rugby professionals who have been condemned to training without the excitement of a weekend game because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Celtic Cup was scratched, the Welsh Premiership hasn't started and looks unlikely to get going and A team fixtures have been scarce.

Primarily a 12, his route to the first team was blocked by former Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts and Dragons stalwart Jack Dixon.

Thankfully the nightmare is over for Edwards; the English Championship has got under way and the centre has landed a loan move to Doncaster.

He sat out the opener against Ampthill after only linking up with the Knights last week but hopes to be a contender for the home encounter with Coventry.

CHARGE: Connor Edwards on the run for the Dragons against the Southern Kings

CHARGE: Connor Edwards on the run for the Dragons against the Southern Kings

"It's good to just have an opportunity to play," said Edwards. "Game time has been hard to come by with things as they are at the moment.

"You train hard and feel that you have lots to offer the team but it's tough when the positions are stacked as they are and selection decisions go against you.

"That's just the way it is at the moment and there are probably 20 people at the Dragons who have been in the same position as me.

"Other than training well – which I feel I have done – there have been no other avenues to impress the coaches.

"It has been really frustrating but that's professional sport and you have to just push on through."

Edwards has swapped living with his partner Phoebe in Cwmbran for sharing a flat with three teammates above the (currently empty) School Boy pub in a village outside Doncaster.

The centre, who enjoyed a breakthrough season under Bernard Jackman in 2017/18 before suffering injury misfortune, has gone on the move to put himself in the shop window.

"I'm out of contract in June which adds a bit more pressure," said Edwards. "It's a chance to impress and show what I can do, then hopefully good things can happen off the back of that.

"It's as simple as game time being paramount, then hopefully good things will come off the back of that."

STRONG: Connor Edwards in action for the Dragons against Benetton in 2018

STRONG: Connor Edwards in action for the Dragons against Benetton in 2018

As was shown by the Cornish Pirates stunning Saracens on opening weekend – the former European champions will soon be able to call on Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Billy and Mako Vunipola and Elliot Daly for their expected tussle with Ealing Trailfinders – the standard will be high.

Edwards hopes to hit the ground running after previously playing in England's second tier on loan at Hartpury and Jersey.

"I'd like to think that I played well for both those clubs," he said. "The Championship is only 10 games this season so it's just about earning my stripes and putting in some big performances to build momentum.

"It's a league where the foundations are built on physicality so I am going to try and lay a marker down by being confrontational.

"But I've already seen in training that at Doncaster we want to play a bit. The backs are really sharp, so maybe it will be a case of me adding a different dimension with my carrying and aggression.

"It's just good to have the opportunity to play and show what I can do."