RODNEY Parade favourite Ian Gough believes he is leaving a Newport Gwent Dragons side that is on the up after hanging up his boots.

The 38-year-old former Wales international’s 20th campaign is his last, bringing to an end an astonishing career that started as a replacement for Newport alongside Black and Ambers legend David Waters in May 1996.

Gough made 139 appearances for Newport and played 102 times in two spells for the Dragons, also having stints at Pontypridd, the Ospreys, London Irish.

The hard-hitting lock, who won 64 caps and was a Grand Slam winner in 2005 and 2008, earned a late call-up to the bench in last month’s Challenge Cup semi-final loss against Edinburgh and came on for the last quarter of an hour at Murrayfield.

He slotted in alongside a raft of young talent and believes that the future can be bright at Rodney Parade, a far cry from when he headed to the Liberty Stadium in 2007 with fears about the direction that his home region was going in.

“As we have proved against Leinster twice and Ulster, we can get things right and put in some class performances,” said Gough.

“I’ve been there before in quarter-finals and semi-finals where we have lost like that and Test matches where we have been beaten heavily and we bounced back to win Six Nations, EDF Cups, the league.

“It’s a massive learning curve for an extremely young and talented squad. The likes of Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos, James Benjamin hadn’t experienced anything like that at senior level.

“They were taught a harsh lesson but have taken it on the chin and will crack on to get things right.

“They can take a lot of heart of how we played in Europe but it’s just that final hurdle, if you don’t get it right on the big stage that is what happens.”

Gough has played across three decades and has been an influential figure at the Dragons’ training base this season even if injury has limited him to 10 appearances.

He now faces new challenges and retires with no regrets.

“As long as the career has been, it has gone quite quickly and soon comes to an end. You cherish every moment,” he said.

“I have had such a long career and I have been lucky that my body has allowed me to do so and to manage to last in the pro era.

“It is something that I will look fondly on and I have no regrets through the good times and the bad. I am just thankful to both my family and friends who have had to put up with me over the years with all of my niggles and moans.

“I wouldn’t change anything I have done and all of the decisions I have made have been for the betterment of my career.

“I have enjoyed the Welsh career that I have had as well as my stint at London Irish and will always have the those memories.”

Jim McCreedy, Dragons director and a former team manager for both the region and Newport, said: “Ian is renowned as an uncompromising player and has made a huge impact at our region and in Welsh rugby.

“He has been an outstanding servant to both Newport RFC and the Dragons, both on and off the field where he has become a role model for the both the old and the young.

“His commitment to both clubs has been massive and he really is a valued member of the clubs after dedicating over ten years them. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”