Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia believes Welsh rugby has a “big job” to ensure exit-bound Test stars such as Aaron Wainwright come back home.
The 28-year-old Wales number eight will join Leicester in the summer after nine seasons with the Rodney Parade club.
Talisman Wainwright, who has made 129 appearances for Dragons, has been enticed by a new challenge with Tigers despite a lucrative new contract offer.
He will go up against international team-mates Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake in England after the Ospreys pair opted to join Gloucester due to the uncertainty surrounding the professional game in Wales.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) intends to cut from four men’s teams to three – one in Cardiff, one in the west and one in the east.
Steve Tandy’s autumn squad featured 13 players based outside Wales and Tiatia, an Ospreys legend as a player, is focused on ensuring that top talent returns.
The former All Blacks forward said: “How do we get our best Welsh players back? How do we bring Waino (Wainwright) back?
“At the Dragons we have a big job along with the Ospreys, Scarlets and Cardiff to keep improving and function as four teams to produce a product that the fans are really proud of, with tribalism and clear identity of the four clubs to entice the players back.
“Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, Aaron Wainwright – get them all back. We can do our part by keeping on improving.”
Wainwright has been a leading figure for Dragons since making his debut in 2017, which was followed by a rapid rise to the international stage.
The back-row forward has won 62 caps, featured in all five matches of the 2019 Grand Slam and has played at two World Cups.
“He is going to be a massive loss,” said Tiatia. “I love Waino – he is a unique man and a heck of a player who brings confidence to the group.
“He trains hard, does all of the one per centers really well and is a really good pro; people can influence others and he is definitely a person we will miss.
“We know that he will give his best until the season is finished and that is exciting because there are a lot of things that we can do as a group together and objectives that we want to achieve, with Waino as part of that.”
Tiatia is working with Dragons head of recruitment Jonathan Westwood to fill the void, with Wainwright’s decision leaving plenty of room in the budget.
The Rodney Parade club, who signed a new Professional Rugby Agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union in May, will have an increased playing budget of approximately £6m next season.
“We are looking at the moment at opportunities for someone to come in and complement what we are doing here and really impose themselves,” said Tiatia.
“We have got a bit of work to do to find the right person, or persons. Retention is really important and so is our recruitment.”
Top talent leaving Wales is nothing new and Dragons have previously seen the likes of Taulupe Faletau, Dan Lydiate, Luke Charteris and Aled Brew head for the exit.
However, the current state of the game – and wait for news on the WRU’s plans – risks more players following Wainwright, Lake and Morgan.
The Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) warned in September, when the governing body had suggested cutting to two teams, that proposals for the elite game would “drive talent to leave Wales”.
“Regardless of uncertainty in Welsh rugby, these guys (Wainwright, Lake and Morgan) are world-class players so it comes as no surprise that there’s interest from top clubs,” said WRPA chairman and Scarlets and Wales flanker Josh Macleod.
“There is a level of uncertainty which obviously isn’t nice for players, but the guys down with us have been great.
“We’re doing work behind the scenes to try and get a level of clarity on what’s going on and the best way to move forward. We’ve got a good exec board [at the WRPA] that are very supportive and CEO Gareth Lewis does everything he can.
“It’s obviously a decent responsibility [being chairman] but I’ve got good people around me that help at all the other regions and collectively we’re trying to get to the best solution possible for Welsh rugby moving forward.”
