DRAGONS prop Aaron Jarvis is eyeing a Wales recall in World Cup year – and hopes his versatility can give him the edge.

The 32-year-old has spent a first week with his new Rodney Parade teammates after signing from French giants Clermont-Auvergne.

The former Osprey was a hit at the Stade Marcel-Michelin, helping them win the Top 14 and playing in the Champions Cup final loss to Saracens in his first campaign.

But Jarvis has returned home in a bid to add to his 18 caps and force his way back into Warren Gatland’s squad ahead of next year’s World Cup.

With Wales likely to only take five props to Japan, his ability to play loosehead as well as his specialist position of tighthead would be invaluable.

Jarvis won his last cap against New Zealand in 2016 but is determined to earn Gatland’s attention with strong Dragons displays.

“If I want to play Wales again then I have to be playing in Wales, so that was a big draw,” said Jarvis, who also covered hooker at England 2015.

“It’s a big year and I had to at least give myself a chance of making the World Cup, which I wouldn’t have had if I had stayed in France. I am here now and however small that chance is, there is a chance.

“It could help being able to cover both sides depending on how many props they take, but I am mainly a tighthead who can play loosehead.

“But there are some quality props here, so my first job is to get in the Dragons side. I have to get in the team here first and play really well, only then I can hope it’s enough.”

South Wales Argus:

Jarvis will battle fellow World Cup hopeful Leon Brown for the 3 jersey along with Lloyd Fairbrother, who was one of last season’s best performers, Dan Suter and Wales Under-20s prospect Chris Coleman.

He hopes that such competition can lead to the Dragons improving dramatically on their 2017/18 campaign that yielded just two PRO14 wins.

“It’s a really good challenge because the Dragons are really trying to turn things around,” said Jarvis, who played 91 times for the Ospreys after joining from Bath.

“We are going in the right direction, there is a lot of talent here and we can surprise a fair few people.

“We want to be going up the league, we want to be getting the play-offs, we want to be qualifying for the Champions Cup – we have to be ambitious and back ourselves.

“We’ve got quite a young side but I’ve been around a bit and hopefully my experience from the English Premiership, Top 14 and PRO14 will help.”

And Jarvis believes that his spell in France’s brutal top tier means that he has returned a stronger player at the set piece.

He said: “The scrum is a massive part of French rugby and everybody wants to scrummage, even the back row. It’s just a part of their mentality.

“Before it was just consistency with me; I could have a really good game one week and the next week wasn’t as good. France helped me with that consistency… and having massive second rows helps!”

“France was an amazing experience both in terms of lifestyle and rugby. It was something that I wanted to try in my career and I would have regretted not doing it,” he continued.

“I would rather have gone to France and hated it than not try it, but we went there and loved it.

“That was helped by Clermont being such an amazing club, raelly well run with the most passionate fans I have ever seen.

“In the nicest possible way, they are bonkers and the atmosphere they create wherever they go is amazing and the club is just a massive part of Auvergne life.

“To win the Top 14 in my first year and play in the Champions Cup final, those were experiences that were definitely worth the trip.”