Dragons eye Ystrad Mynach training base

6:10am Saturday 7th July 2012 in Dragons Photograph of the Author Exclusive By Chris Kirwan

Dragons eye Ystrad Mynach training base Dragons eye Ystrad Mynach training base

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons are hoping to move to a permanent training base at Ystrad Mynach.

The region want their senior side and their academy and age-grade teams to be based at Caerphilly council’s proposed £6million centre for sporting excellence.

Buildings at the old Ystrad Mynach hospital site are yet to be demolished but it is planned to create two floodlit 3G pitches, stands, terracing and a gym on the site.

The centre – which was backed by the Dragons, Welsh Rugby Union, Football Association of Wales and Cardiff City at its launch in January – will be used by the community as well as top-level sportsmen.

Given that a spade is yet to be put in the ground, a move is some way off but the Dragons are keen to grasp the opportunity.

“We have given a letter of intent that we are interesting in re-siting our training base there,” said director of rugby Robert Beale.

“That is not a contractual commitment but it is to stress that we are keen on the development. We have a very, very strong interest.

“We have had several meetings with Caerphilly council, who are really proactive, and our head of conditioning Alex Lawson has been involved with the specifications for the weights gym.

“It will be all on one site and would include our academy and age-grade teams. That would be massive for us.”

The Dragons currently split their training between Rodney Parade, where they do weight training, technical work and analysis, and Newport High School, where they have use of a full-size pitch, astroturf and swimming pool.

In poor weather last season they were forced to use the WRU’s facilities at the Vale of Glamorgan hotel, though improvements have been made to the pitch at Newport High School.

With Rodney Parade also set to be used by owners Newport RFC and new tenants Newport County, the Dragons will only be using the pitch for their final team run and kicking practice this season.

The attractions of setting up a permanent base in Ystrad Mynach are obvious – and the Dragons would be keen for the clubs in the region to use the facility – and their enthusiasm is shared by the council A spokesman said: “This exciting new sports development will provide state of the art facilities in the heart of the county borough.

“The development is still in its early stages, but we are working with the Dragons and other key partners to deliver this impressive centre of sporting excellence.”

Comments(19)

Pitmanfan says...
9:08am Sat 7 Jul 12

Let's hope that Penallta (whose pitch is next door) actually get use of these facilities as replacement for losing their multi-pitch site when Ystrad Mynach Police Station and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr were built on their old ground. It will be a welcome addition to their excellent clubhouse and only encourage the further development of their successful mini, junior, youth, senior and new women's squads.

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Mr Bump. says...
10:38am Sat 7 Jul 12

Great news, now maybe the Kids at Newport high can get use of their facilities, rather than this bunch of failures.

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East Newport Dave says...
11:19pm Sat 7 Jul 12

What a mess! The Dragons hailed the facilities at Newport High School as the answer to their training facilities problems. Now they need to move miles away because of problems with Newport RFC/Newport County. The ship is completely rudderless! Beale, who is he?, has no idea.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
1:41am Sun 8 Jul 12

Oh how quickly the knockers come out of the undergrowth, why they pretend to care is anyone's guess. The Dragons have given thier support to a project to establish a facility for the future they ave not signed any contracts so nothing is set in stone. Lets hope the facility is built for the benefit of the area. It says nothing about the future of the Dragons except that they are willing to work with various communities to achieve good projects.

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the dork says...
8:38am Sun 8 Jul 12

sounds like a good idea somewhere for DE to discuss tactics before agame

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East Newport Dave says...
7:18pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Great idea, Rob. Let's have a training base 15 miles away from Rodney Parade. The players are mixed up enough now so let's factor in extra travelling for them. Don't be so naively optimistic Rob. The management haven't got a clue.

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kalwales@hotmail.com says...
9:02pm Sun 8 Jul 12

I agree with you guys about Rob Beale, its about time he went , ive been at Rodney Parade and the impression i get from Rob "in it for me" Beale is exactly that, he is in it for himself, ive nothing against the move because Penallta RFC and its Committee are fantastic to us Match Officials but as for the Dragons and the set up of the region .......... Titanic !!!

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LSB Bee says...
12:46am Mon 9 Jul 12

I love it when knockers come out of the undergrowth Robert. Absolutely crazy idea to have a training ground so far away from Rodney Parade. What is Beale thinking about? Non-starter.

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LSB Bee says...
12:47am Mon 9 Jul 12

I love it when knockers come out of the undergrowth Robert. Absolutely crazy idea to have a training ground so far away from Rodney Parade. What is Beale thinking about? Non-starter.

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SWBorderer says...
7:13am Mon 9 Jul 12

Just shows that there's no way you can please the knockers. If they built a training centre in Newport they would be accused of not incorporating the region. They back a project that will enhance the sporting facilities of the region and they are criticised for going away from Newport.
What is the problem, it's hardly the other side of the world, the players all come from various parts of Wales and believe it or not some come from outside Wales. They have got cars as well.
I hope it all comes to fruition, it will be a great benefit to the area.

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arvinda strop says...
8:00am Mon 9 Jul 12

Do you think they will find there way so far out of the town. will be new teritory for them.
please note before the hatchets come out "tongue in cheek remark"

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Cwmderi says...
12:03pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Come on guys and gals, get out of your silos. The Dragons are a regional side that play their matches at Rodney Parade, Newport.
This is a great opportunity for them to have access and use of 3G facilities that will be as good as anything in the country.
I am aware that the WRU, FAW and Cardiff City are fully supportive of the development of this Centre of Excellence and see the positive benefits of having such a facility in the Valleys where most of the talent originates.
For the diehards of Newport, just take a look at some of their great side who beat the All Blacks in 1963 and where they came from. Valley Boys - Ray Cheney, Dennis Perrott, Dick Uzzel, Brian (BJ) Jones, Dai Watkins, Keith Poole, Alun (Algie) Thomas, Brian Thomas, Dai Jones, Nev Jonson. ENOUGH SAID
S0 come on guys and gals, forget bashing Robert Beale and start thinking outside the box (silo).
A. Silurian

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Cwmderi says...
4:58pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Sorry
Of course I meant Brian Price not Brian Thomas, who we have just heard has passed away. Another giant character of Welsh rugby who left his mark wherever he played.

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Dai the Milk says...
6:21pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Cwmderi wrote:
Come on guys and gals, get out of your silos. The Dragons are a regional side that play their matches at Rodney Parade, Newport.
This is a great opportunity for them to have access and use of 3G facilities that will be as good as anything in the country.
I am aware that the WRU, FAW and Cardiff City are fully supportive of the development of this Centre of Excellence and see the positive benefits of having such a facility in the Valleys where most of the talent originates.
For the diehards of Newport, just take a look at some of their great side who beat the All Blacks in 1963 and where they came from. Valley Boys - Ray Cheney, Dennis Perrott, Dick Uzzel, Brian (BJ) Jones, Dai Watkins, Keith Poole, Alun (Algie) Thomas, Brian Thomas, Dai Jones, Nev Jonson. ENOUGH SAID
S0 come on guys and gals, forget bashing Robert Beale and start thinking outside the box (silo).
A. Silurian
Cwmderi, Very well said. The truth is though that the Dragons (sorry Newport) hate the thought of thinking outside of the box because, in my view, it is one big deception. A club side dressed up as a regional side to placate the WRU and valleys, where, as you so rightly say, 'most of the talent originates'.

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wilkolima says...
7:19pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Old-hat Newport v Gwent Dragons argument aside, well done at least to Caerphilly council's proposal for a centre of excellence. Once again, head-in-the-sand Newport City Council (and NBC before it) has been topped by a neighbouring authority creative and bold enough to come up with what looks to many to be an attractive scheme. A couple of flies for this ointment though: with the Exiles about to add to the stress placed on the Rodney Parade pitch, now with three teams about to plod thereupon (good luck to the groundsmen!) was any thought given to NRFC/NGD using a nearby and substantially vacated Spytty ground and the facilities of Newport International Sports Village (hah!) next door for training/academy purposes? On the other hand, the NGD Ystrad Mynach proposal might just be a NCC-backed ruse to add to the popular demand for an up-and-running valleys line rail - a quick, dry, comfortable alternative to a long, dark, cold, and blustery drive for those that will otherwise have to battle their way up/across the valleys through Cardiff-bound traffic. High travel costs will surely only add to the NGD set up's significant operational costs, already in the red, and the effect on corporate brand and image will not be a positive one, other than in a quasi-charitable sense that some will see only as a move to placate a neglected and vocal valleys force. I take it that this will also see the WRU encouraging the Ospreys to now diversify and move their training base to Llandeilo, the Scarlets to Aberystwyth, and the Blues to Treherbert?

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CM1 says...
11:01pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Explains the WRU's shenanigans to ensure that Bedwas are in the premier league.

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Mr Stuart Parry says...
6:01pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Wonder when/if NGD will ever win anything in there lifetime?

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Robert Shillabeer says...
6:51pm Tue 10 Jul 12

East Newport Dave wrote:
Great idea, Rob. Let's have a training base 15 miles away from Rodney Parade. The players are mixed up enough now so let's factor in extra travelling for them. Don't be so naively optimistic Rob. The management haven't got a clue.
The Dragons have stated thier support for this projects they have not committed themselves to it in stone. With three sides playing at Rodney Parade to trim all three sides on it will put the pitch under great strain. The training area at the club house end is used to trin the set piece work but. Often becomes a bog when it rains a lot. It is not a good idea to travel 15 miles on a regular basis I agree but no commitment has Benin made on that score yet.

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Regionalist says...
9:58pm Tue 10 Jul 12

I hope the Argus get's the drivel filter fixed on the comments section before they publish any more of these non-stories, it seems to be broken.

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