RUGBY legend Dai Watkins calls on clubs and fans alike to unite behind Lyn Jones and the Newport Gwent Dragons and their aim to tap the region’s “plentiful potential”.

Former Ospreys boss Jones outlined his desire to waken and unite the “sleeping giant of Welsh rugby” after being unveiled as director of rugby on Monday.

The Dragons have been the least successful of the remaining four Welsh sides since the game went regional in 2003.

Many rugby fans in the Gwent Valleys feel an antipathy towards the Rodney Parade side, the concept failing to ignite much passion outside its Newport base.

Clubs based in the region act as feeder teams for the Dragons, mainly the Premiership elite of Bedwas, Cross Keys and Newport.

Blaina-born Watkins, regarded as one of the greatest dual union and league players of all time, made his name playing outside half for a Newport side good enough to beat New Zealand in 1963.

A Lion three years later, Watkins won 21 caps for Wales before moving to play league in 1967 when he joined Salford, going on to represent Great Britain.

A Dragons board member, he urges rugby teams and followers throughout Gwent to now buy into the regional philosophy with their new exciting director of rugby and his desire to unify the area.

“I’d call on the whole of Gwent to get behind Lyn and the Dragons,” he said.

“With regional rugby, every player, whether you are playing for Ebbw Vale, Pontypool or Newbridge, Newport is now the base.

“And for a young coach or a team, I would urge them to get behind a player so that they can make him good enough so that he can play for the Dragons side and you should be justifiably proud you’ve produced a regional player.”

Drawing parallels with his own experience, Watkins said: “Blaina were superb for me and the support I had from there was tremendous.

“People there were delighted I had gone on to play for Newport and I think we should still do that.”

On the area’s rich tradition, Watkins added: “Gwent has a great heritage and if you think about the history and teams like Ebbw Vale, Pontypool, Newbridge, Cross Keys, and Abertillery “If you go back to my day, you had Alun Pask, Allan Lewis and Haydn Morgan who were Wales internationals from Abertillery.

“There is plenty of potential here, Gwent is a big area and it’s probably the best rugby area of all in Wales.

“If you just think of the status and the number of players Gwent has produced over the years.”