THE Dragons have gagged Wales fly-half Sam Davies in training so that there is no chance of them becoming a one-man band.

There are huge expectations on the shoulders of the eight-times capped playmaker after his summer move east from the Ospreys.

Davies is relishing the chance to call the shots and said earlier this summer that he wanted to "stamp my authority on a team".

The 25-year-old will make his debut in Saturday's Guinness PRO14 opener against Munster at Thomond Park (kick-off 3pm) but the Dragons are ensuring the squad are not just over-reliant on their fly-half.

South Wales Argus:

"We have worked a lot in training with boys around me stepping up as well," said the Davies, who was World Rugby's young player of the year in 2013.

"Dean has picked up on that and we are running a game now where it's not all going through the 10.

"We are running sessions where I am not allowed to talk, we are running sessions where I am not allowed to kick.

"What that does is make players around me think 'I've actually got to help Sam out here' and that is what has made it enjoyable – I've not had everything thrown on my shoulders.

"I know there are a lot of people that say the Dragons have needed a 10, but it's not just the 10, there are people around that help him.

"That is what I am getting in training at the Dragons; there are boys that get challenged to help me out, which will benefit me as well."

Davies has swapped the Ospreys, Wales' most successful region, for the Dragons, the least successful.

However, the fly-half has been pleasantly surprised by what he has found at the training base in Ystrad Mynach.

South Wales Argus:

"I was probably a bit sceptical of the move at first because I was going from a so-called bigger team in Wales to a lower team in Wales," he admitted.

"But since I arrived I have been extremely impressed with the skill levels, the physicality that we have offered and there is a good squad here.

"Don't get me wrong, we will get challenged if we get a few injuries, but it's a lot better here than my perception from the outside."

Davies was frustrated by the occasionally kick-heavy tactics at the Ospreys but has been given licence to go on the attack by new Dragons boss Dean Ryan.

"I am enjoying my rugby, which I probably haven't for the last couple of seasons and that is a key factor for me," he admitted.

"I probably had a lack of freedom in my game, which is something that Dean is going to allow me to have, not just me but the group.

"It's early days because we haven't played yet but from a training point of view it's been brilliant. I am genuinely enjoying coming in every day and getting challenged with new things.

"I probably had a little bit of a loss of confidence, although I'd always back myself as a player. I tried not to go into my shell but there were times where I might not have agreed with the gameplan but went through with it.

"Now I feel like we have a relationship where we can discuss these things and it's not a case of 'go out there and do this', it's working out the best plan for a game and then executing it as a collective.

"That is what Dean has brought – he is not telling us what to do, he is bringing out the answers in us. That has brought players out of their shells."