THE Dragons have confirmed that forwards coaches Luke Narraway and Mefin Davies are leaving at the end of the season.

Head coach Dai Flanagan is shaking up his backroom team this summer with former Ospreys favourite Filo Tiatia arriving as a right-hand man specialising in defence.

There will also be a change up front with former England back rower Narraway, who first arrived as Celtic Cup coach in 2019, and ex-Wales hooker Davies, who joined the following summer, heading for the exit.

Academy coach Sam Hobbs, who has been helping out the seniors throughout the season, is set to be promoted to forwards coach, a role he has held with Newport RFC.

Flanagan said: “Everyone at Dragons is extremely grateful to Luke and Mefin for their hard work, professionalism, and dedication during their time with the club.

“They have worked tirelessly with our forwards to help us improve year on year and both leave with our very best wishes for the next chapter of their respective coaching careers.”

The forward coaches were both brought in by former director of rugby Dean Ryan.

South Wales Argus: GOING: Mefin Davies and Luke Narraway are leaving their roles as Dragons forwards coachesGOING: Mefin Davies and Luke Narraway are leaving their roles as Dragons forwards coaches (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Former Gloucester and Perpignan forward Narraway cut his coaching teeth with Coventry before working at Bordeaux-Begles.

He was appointed by Ryan as a consultant to help in the development of young talent in the Celtic Cup before getting a permanent role in 2020 with a big focus on the lineout.

Davies, a member of the 2005 Grand Slam winning side, joined the same summer after working as scrum and assistant forwards coach at Worcester Warriors.

Flanagan has gradually reshaped his backroom team after being appointed as boss a game into the 2022/23 season when Ryan was sacked.

The head coach has operated without a defensive specialist this season due to cost-cutting after the departure of Simon Cross to become head coach of Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby.

The decision was made to go for an experienced – and therefore more expensive – replacement in Tiatia, who has worked in Japan with Toyota Verblitz, the Sunwolves and the national side plus in Super Rugby with Moana Pasifika.

Hobbs is poised to follow in the footsteps of Matt O’Brien, who was promoted from the academy to become backs coach when Flanagan was given the reins.

The Dragons have also made a big change behind the scenes with Ryan Chambers joining from the Welsh Rugby Union as head of performance, replacing Dan Baugh.

The club are set to invest more heavily in their academy coaching team to help with the bid to bolster the senior squad with young talent.

“We can reinvest in our pathway now, going from something like four heads to 10,” said Flanagan, who has given debuts to Harri Ackerman, Joe Westwood, Ewan Rosser, Sam Scarfe, Morgan Lloyd, Oli Andrew and Huw Anderson this season.

“That will be great for the development of our youngsters, will make them want to stay in Gwent and help us produce even better players than are being produced now.”

Bargoed have already announced that head coach Jack Condy will step down because of more time commitments with the Dragons academy.