Coach Harris not ready to give up his Dragons spot just yet

The 34-year-old South African has signed a contract extension to spend a sixth season at Rodney Parade.

Harris arrived from the Stormers as a tighthead/loosehead and is now a loosehead/tighthead, ready to battle Ryan Bevington, Jack Cosgrove and Josh Reynolds for the 1 jersey.

The prop has a role coaching the Dragons Under-16s but his primary task is adding to his tally of 108 appearances for the seniors.

"I've played over 100 games, but the competition is great and you can't win games or compete in this tournament without that depth. I've said that all along," said Harris, who moved across the front row in 2017 because of the emergence of Wales tighthead Leon Brown.

"You need at least three in every position, especially when you get injuries and it is a long season.

"We are competing for one jersey, but it is good and everyone is working together and competing at the same time. It is a good place to be."

Harris was signed by Lyn Jones and has worked under Kingsley Jones, Bernard Jackman and caretaker coach Ceri Jones before director of rugby Dean Ryan took the reins this summer.

"Dean has come in with a new set of ideas and he players have bought into it and we are in a good place," said Harris, who won the Currie Cup with Western Province before heading to the Dragons.

"There is excitement and it's a fresh start. We've all enjoyed Dean's approach and we've bought in as team.

"From my perspective, change is good and I'm looking forward to the start of the season and getting the pre-season over and done with.

"My focus is to be better than ever. That is why I am here, that is why I play the game. To compete at the highest level and for me personally I focus on what I can control.

"In pre-season it has been about looking after my body and waiting for the rugby to start."

Harris has always been a valuable source of information for the front rowers in their late teens and early 20s that are getting used to life with the seniors.

Now the South African is combining his playing duties with passing on tips to even younger Dragons after joining the management team for the region's under-16s in Ystrad Mynach.

"I've enjoyed the coaching and it's been a good experience working with the youngsters," he said.

"There is a lot of talent there but you have to not try and teach them everything at once and try to get the knowledge across to them.

"The biggest thing I have learnt is to keep it simple, especially for the youngsters. They have all the energy and we don't want to box them in, let the make decisions and guide them.

"It's been great to be on the flip side of it. We had our first warm-up game and I was on the coaching side, it was a whole new experience for me.

"It's opened my eyes in terms of what coaching is all about. It's the first steps for me, I am busy with my level three (WRU coaching), so it is about how I transition after rugby into the coaching side.

"I'm doing the forwards and maybe some defence. I'll leave the sidesteps and the kicking to the other coaches, although I can teach them if they like!

"I've really enjoyed my time at Dragons, so helping the next generation here is big for me. As a region you are only as strong as your developing players, from under-16s to under-18s to under-23s.

"Our aim is to get players through that system and let them become the next Dragons.

"I think it is really important for me to give back, to go out and teach the youngsters the knowledge I have learnt over the years.

"Hopefully in a couple of years we will stand on the terraces and we will see some of these guys running out at Rodney Parade in Dragons kit. That is the dream."