NEW coach Gordon Ross will hope that the Dragons' attack can match his impeccable timing in the coming year after arriving at Rodney Parade along with three Wales international backs.

The former Scotland fly-half started work in July along with Six Nations star Nick Tompkins and international full-back/wing Jonah Holmes.

Director of rugby Dean Ryan's summer recruitment drive for the three-quarters wasn't complete – he then added Lions powerhouse centre Jamie Roberts.

Ross who was brought in as backs coach from Worcester, is rubbing his hands at the prospect of having such firepower in the side.

"As a coach, you are judged by the players that you've got and we've got a very talented squad, especially with some good signings," said Ross, who won 25 caps and played at the 2003 World Cup.

"That gives us an opportunity to try a few new things out but they've already got good structures in place and it's my job to improve what they are doing already.

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"They had a very good group previously but add Jamie Roberts, Nick Tompkins and Jonah Holmes in there and it is pretty exciting.

"It's exciting for the whole group, and hopefully me and the rest of the coaches can help bring the best out of them.

"We want to improve Jamie Roberts, Nick Tompkins and Jonah Holmes while they are at the Dragons as well.

"There are some excellent youngsters here as well and some good competition, so touch wood we can keep the squad fit and healthy."

Ross, who studied teaching at university, learnt from Welsh coaches Phil Davies and Lyn Jones while still playing.

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He cut his coaching teeth with London Welsh before moving to Worcester in 2015 to work with academy.

Ryan was his boss at Sixways and he has joined up with the former England forward again after the Warriors agreed to release him from the last year of his contract at Sixways.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to go up into senior rugby," said the 42-year-old from Edinburgh, who will see his new players in action for the first time at the Ospreys a week on Sunday.

"It's a big step up for me but hopefully I will learn on the move and improve what is already a very good environment.

"We are back into rugby mode now and the PRO14 games have flown up, it doesn't seem long ago that it was the start of July and we were training in groups of five or six.

"It's been good to get to know the players and coaches, it's been excellent and everyone has been very welcoming."

A feature of Ryan's first year was that he encouraged the players to take the lead in analysis, owning responsibility rather than being spoon-fed information.

Ross, who has had a busy time watching last season's games plus footage of plenty of training sessions, fits into that method.

"As I've got older I've probably mellowed a bit!" he said. "When I came straight out of playing to coaching there was probably a bit more shouting and noise.

"Now you sit back and let the players learn a bit more, and I'm trying to be better at building relationships with players, not just in training but off the pitch."

Ross has joined forces with Barry Maddocks, who has moved sideways to have the title of skills coach.

"Barry has been excellent and very supportive, I am enjoying that rapport. He is a very good coach and knows the boys well but has allowed me to just come in and crack on with it," said Ross.

"He's been excellent in helping in the sessions that I've been running, and vice versa.

"We've got over 20 backs training at the moment so to have at least two coaches on the pitch is great and means that we can mix things up and swap ideas, while the players get involved and have more touches of the ball."

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The arrival of Wales international backs will increase expectation on the Dragons to show more of a cutting edge in the second year under Ryan.

Ross insists it will be tinkering rather than drastic surgery to the region's attack.

"The new signings gives us an opportunity to try a few new things out but they've already got good structures in place and it's my job to improve what they were doing already," said Ross.

"Dean has been in for a season so for me it's just about tinkering with trying to make them better or finding different ways of creating opportunities in attack.

"It's just improving small things every week and the work ethic and the quality of the work has been really good so far, but until you get in that game environment you are not too sure how you have moved on.

"But I will try to keep things pretty simple and make sure we are very good at our basics, because that underpins most of what we will do in attack.

"The buy-in from all of the boys, regardless of their experience, has been excellent and they have had a great attitude when training at a good intensity.

"I've been impressed by their work ethic but these fixtures coming up will be a good marker and we will see where we are at. There will be a bit of rustiness but hopefully we can blow away the cobwebs and build from there."