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After walking out on Dragons ex-Wales star takes aim at Dean Ryan
By Ian Cameron
Tarvis Knoyle has taken aim at Dragons head coach Dean Ryan during an appearance on a Welsh language television show in Wales over the weekend.
Knoyle appeared to walk out on the club under his own steam last month. A reason for the departure was not given, but now the former Wales international has heavily hinted that he wasn't a fan of Dean Ryan's management of the side.
The comments come as Ryan faces intense pressure over his position at the club. Last night Munster strolled to a 10-try 64-3 win over the Dragons in their United Rugby Championship fixture at Thomond Park. Sam Davies’ 16th-minute penalty proved to be the Welsh region’s only score on a nightmare game for the Newport side, who have won just a handful of games so far this season.
Appearing on the 'Jonathan' show on S4C, Knoyle left the audience clear about his view of the coaching structure.
"I loved the boys and the medical staff were amazing to be fair, but there were too many English people running the place so I wanted out of that," Knoyle told host Jonathan 'Jiffy' Davies.
"I was there for five years after being with the Scarlets and Blues. You just never win.
"It's weird, because on paper the team looks amazing."
He was then asked by co-host Sarra Elgan: 'What's the problem then?' to which Knoyle replied: 'No comment'.
Known for his confrontational approach to the game, he made his Dragons debut in Krasnador in the European Challenge Cup match versus Enisei-STM in October 2016.
He previously played for Gloucester as well as Ospreys, Scarlets and Cardiff Blues – becoming only the third player to play for all four professional Welsh regions when he joined the Men of Gwent.
Upon his departure, the Dragons said: “The 31-year-old moved to Rodney Parade in 2016 and has made a total of 61 appearances for the Men of Gwent over five and a half seasons. Dragons would like to place on record our thanks Tavis for his efforts during this time at the region and wish him and his family all the best for the future."
Glynneath product Knoyle was part of the Wales squad to tour New Zealand in 2010, making his debut against New Zealand in Dunedin as a second-half replacement.
He was named in the Six Nations squad in 2011, winning his second cap in the clash with Scotland, and later appeared in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He has made a total of 11 appearances for Wales.
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Latest Comments
The England backs can't be that dumb, he has been playing on and off for the last couple of years. If they are too slow to keep up with him that's another matter.
He was the only thing stopping England from getting their arses handed to them in the Aussie game. If you can't fit a player with that skill set into an England team then they are stuffed.
Go to commentsSteve Borthwick appointment was misguided based on two flawed premises.
1. An overblown sense of the quality of the premiership rugby. The gap between the Premiership and Test rugby is enormous
2. England needed an English coach who understood English Rugby and it's traditional strengths.
SB won the premiership and was an England forward and did a great job with the Japanese forwards but neither of those qualify you as a tier 1 test manager.
Maybe Felix Jones and Aled Walter's departures are down to the fact that SB is a details man, which work at club level but at test level you need the manager to manage and let the coaches get on and do what they are employed for.
SB criticism of players is straight out of Eddie Jones playbook but his loyalty to keeping out of form players borne out of his perceived sense of betrayal as a player.
In all it doesn't stack up as the qualities needed to be a modern Test coach /Manager
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