DRAGONS boss Dean Ryan believes Sam Davies will get back to his best when JJ Hanrahan arrives to share the responsibility of calling the shots at fly-half.
The Irishman, who turns 30 in July, will arrive from Clermont Auvergne next season to be a contender for the 10 jersey at Rodney Parade.
Davies has been a firm fixture in the XV since heading east from the Ospreys in the summer of 2019, starting in 51 of 58 possible games.
The 28-year-old is backed up by Josh Lewis, who has been playing at full-back, and youngsters Evan Lloyd and Will Reed.
The pressure will be more intense when former Munster and Northampton fly-half Hanrahan arrives in Newport, with Ryan believing Davies will profit from occasionally being taken out of the firing line.
“Being first choice all the way through a career is actually not that healthy,” said the director of rugby.
“In all my experiences peer pressure and competition is the best driver for getting better.
“Fly-half is a creative position and an ideas position. It's their stamp on a game and if you end up with one person then it's not healthy.
“At times I have felt for Sam because being the 10 at the Dragons can be tough when things are not working. He will be in a healthier place when having support, a challenge and other ideas.”
Eight-times capped Davies stayed in Wales to fight for Test rugby but has fallen down the international pecking order.
The fly-half has frequently been on the back foot and Ryan hopes his form and decision-making will be helped by the presence of another experienced campaigner.
“In reality we have had too much reliance on Sam,” he admitted. “At times that has been great but sometimes it has been hard for him and it has been difficult to support him.
“We haven’t felt there is strong enough competition for Sam and getting JJ is the same as getting Gonzalo Bertranou to go with Rhodri Williams at scrum-half.
“As a business we've got to shift from having one person in a position and the next being a 19-year-old developing player.
“We are moving there in key positions, although we have still got some challenges. The strategy is to strengthen our depth and competition, and JJ does that.”
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