Dragons closing in on Mackenzie Martin from Cardiff
The 21-year-old from Ely is under contract for another season at Cardiff but talks are ongoing about him becoming the fourth player to switch from the Arms Park to Rodney Parade this summer.
The Dragons have held talks with Martin and got references from those who know him well, but a move was held up due to the Blue and Blacks wanting compensation.
However, it now looks like the five-times capped forward will be making the move and will become a ball-carrying option for head coach Filo Tiatia.
Martin's route to the XV will be just as formidable at the Dragons as it was at Cardiff – Wainwright is the shoo-in rather than Taulupe Faletau – but there is a lack of specialist depth.
TARGET: The Dragons are in talks for Cardiff and Wales forward Mackenzie Martin (Image: PA)
Taine Basham has left for the capital and there are big question marks over the future of Solomone Funaki, who is yet to play for the club because of injury.
The Tongan suffered a knee infection after opting for a summer clean out operation last summer, then suffered an arm injury when playing in Super Rygbi Cymru and ended the campaign with more knee issues.
Funaki is still on the books but must prove he is up to the demands of professional rugby after his injury misfortune.
Harri Keddie is a possible option at number eight but is now seen more as a flanker while Evan Minto and Owen Conquer are up-and-coming prospects likely to play plenty of SRC.
The Dragons want Ryan Woodman and Shane Lewis-Hughes to be their leading senior blindside options and Thomas Young, Keddie and Harry Beddall to be contenders at 7.
That means Martin would have a good shot at racking up minutes in the United Rugby Championship, whether as a starter or adding oomph off the bench.
The promising prospect will hope to get his career back on track in 2025/26 after making just six replacement appearances last season at pro level and nine for the Rags in SRC, with four of them as a lock.
The Dragons have had a busy recruitment drive with deals confirmed for nine players – wing Fine Inisi, centre Fetuli Paea, fly-half Tinus de Beer, loosehead Wyn Jones, tighthead Dillon Lewis, locks Levi Douglas and Seb Davies and opensides Young and Beddall.
South African tighthead Robert Hunt is arriving from the Cheetahs while a scrum-half is needed to join Rhodri Williams, Morgan Lloyd, Che Hope and Logan Franklin.
Franklin faces a spell on the sidelines with a broken arm that ruled him out of the World Rugby U20 Championship.
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