CHIEF executive Stuart Davies says Newport Gwent Dragons will press on with bolstering their squad with two or three fresh recruits after the green light was given to the Welsh Rugby Union’s takeover deal.

The Dragons will be handing over the reins to the WRU after Newport RFC shareholders agreed to a proposal that will see the governing body taking ownership of their Rodney Parade home.

The Union will not be throwing vast sums of money at the team for next season but there will be funds available for head coach Kingsley Jones to add to his roster.

So far they have signed former South Africa full-back/wing Zane Kirchner and ex-Wales centre/fly-half Gavin Henson and the Dragons boss has previously expressed his wish to add another experienced number 10 and some ball-carrying forwards.

Davies says the rubber stamp for the WRU deal means the management can now close in on targets.

“Against the backdrop of the uncertainty we still managed to secure Zane Kirchner and Gavin Henson, so we have done a bit of trading,” he said.

“Kingsley has also been continuing conversations with people that were watching Tuesday night with interest.

“We still haven’t completed the shape of next season’s squad and this means Kingsley can start having those conversations with a bit more certainty.

“It’s difficult with numbers because we are talking about a finite budget and how we want to carve it up, but I’d suggest that two to three players will probably be added to the squad before next season.

“That is short-term but the importance of the vote is that in time it will be about the current crop of players and how everything now changes in terms of the culture of the organisation and all the things that you need to inject into a side in order to retain talent as well as attract it.”

WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips has stated that the future intention will be to use the Dragons as a destination for Welsh-qualified Test prospects from outside of the country.

“Gwent has always been a rich source of rugby talent and we are looking to strengthen that pathway even further,” he said.

“This will be a Welsh-centric region with young Welsh talent given real opportunity on the professional stage.

“We also plan to utilise the region to repatriate emerging exiled talent and women’s and girl’s rugby is also a significant part of our plans for rugby in Gwent.”

The WRU aim to complete their takeover by July 1 and Davies has expressed his relief that the approval of the deal has avoided a financial meltdown.

The Dragons board warned a No vote would force them to cease to trade “almost immediately”.

“Whatever happens now is a hell of a lot better than what we would have been dealing with if the vote had gone the other way, that’s for sure,” said Davies.

“We can be excited by the future now for the venue and both clubs. All of us can focus on the positives from the yes vote and start building a fresh chapter for everyone concerned.

“We are wiping the slate clean and starting with a fresh approach and I hope the players and staff are all excited by that.

“I have no doubt that it will bring good times and for me now it’s about being part of the next chapter.”

l More on the takeover deal on pages 36 & 37