FORMER Scotland fly-half Gordon Ross has joined the Dragons management team as backs coach.

Ross has been brought in by director of rugby Dean Ryan with Barry Maddocks moving sideways to become skills coach.

That is a return to the role that the West Walian held when he arrived at Rodney Parade from Bath in 2017. He spent two years as attack coach after the departure of Shaun Connor.

Irishman Alan Kingsley will continue to work with the Dragons for a third season as kicking consultant.

Ross won 25 caps, featured at the 2003 World Cup and played for Edinburgh, Leeds, Castres, Saracens and London Welsh.

South Wales Argus: Worcester Cavaliers coach Gordon Ross. Picture: Robbie Stephenson/JMPWorcester Cavaliers coach Gordon Ross. Picture: Robbie Stephenson/JMP

The 42-year-old Scotsman cut his coaching teeth with the Exiles after hanging up his boots before moving to Sixways in 2015.

Ross has been working with the Warriors' academy backs but now follows forwards coach Mefin Davies in swapping the West Midlands for south east Wales.

Ryan said: "We're pleased to confirm Gordon's appointment as we continue to invest in our coaching set-up and environment.

"I worked closely with Gordon during our time together at Worcester and know he is a talented and ambitious coach who is excited about the opportunity to work in Wales.

"Gordon is ready to take on this important senior role with us and make a real impact on our backs as we look to move forward and develop as a squad."

Ross is the third new member of Ryan's management team after the arrival of forwards coach Davies and conditioning coach Dan Baugh, the Cardiff icon who was with Wasps.

Simon Cross, another former Worcester coach, is now permanent defence coach after doing the job part-time last season while Luke Narraway, who played for Ryan at Gloucester, will be assistant forwards coach.

The ex-England number eight coached the Celtic Cup team last season and helped out in the second half of the campaign until coronavirus led to rugby stopping in mid-March.

The Dragons have signed Wales backs Nick Tompkins and Jonah Holmes as well as Welsh-qualified lock Joe Maksymiw.

They are looking into strengthening their pack but money is tight and Ryan said in April that they would have an emphasis on improving the current squad, with the coaching additions aiding that development.

South Wales Argus:

"We've always targeted to make the group that we've got better. Wales is not a recruitment model," he said.

"I've worked in the English Premiership and you go into a club and your quickest way to improve is probably changing players, because you've got a free global market to move around in.

"Wales is about making people better, so our focus is on the group we've got. We haven't just retained quite a lot, we've retained all the people (that we wanted) outside of Cory Hill.

"That's a significant boost for the club off the back of some tough years, so that's a real credit to everybody involved in the club.

"We then always said, we don't want to get big numbers of players coming into this group. This group is a good group.

"Therefore, we've got to be strong enough to keep supporting it and making it better."