Dragons to fight to keep Wales forward Wainwright

Dragons will make every effort to stop Wales’ talisman Aaron Wainwright from resuming his career with Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake.

The Rodney Parade club is aware that the eighth-rounder will have suitors once his contract expires at the end of the season.

The 28-year-old turned down other offers in favor of a new, lucrative Dragons contract in January 2024.

Wainwright, who has won 62 caps, may be interested in a new rugby challenge, but the club will make sure any exit is not for financial reasons.

Wainwright has consistently been the Dragons’ standout player in 127 appearances.

In the 23-21 victory over Lyon on Sunday, he made nine tackles, 14 carries, and had a few notable gain-line moments, ending a nearly year-long winless streak.

He is a Gwent man, and his performance last weekend demonstrated how significant he is to both Wales and Dragons, Tiatia said.

He is a beautiful man and an inspirational figure in his actions because he is singularly Aaron Wainwright, knowledgeable of his interests, and enthusiastic about what he brings. He should remain in the building, we want to keep him there.

Before beginning the hiring process in January, Dragons are eager to establish his future plans in the upcoming weeks.

The Rodney Parade club will have a more than £6 million playing budget for the upcoming season thanks to the signing of a new Professional Rugby Agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union in May.

Mackenzie Martin, who is out of contract with Wainwright until the end of the summer, is currently Wainwright’s main rival for the number eight jersey.

Solomone Funaki, a foreign player from Tongan, signed in the summer of 2024, but he has since missed out on any competitive action due to a serious knee injury.

Due to Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plans to reduce its membership to three clubs, with only one in the west, the Wainwright situation differs from the position in which the Ospreys are currently in.

Next summer, Morgan and Lake will relocate to Gloucester, and Kieran Hardy and Dan Edwards, two other internationals, have been linked with English clubs.

Tiatia is a legend for the Ospreys, having won league titles in 2007 and 2010 and the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2008.

You are very disappointed that Dewi and Jac have taken another chance, but you also fully understand why, according to the former All Blacks forward.

Jac responded back in a message to say that I was sad to see him leave the Ospreys, but I understood.

There may be others playing the same game, but I do feel for our clubs not being able to keep our best players in Wales.