LLANDOVERY RFC and Llandovery College have joined forces to sign former Dragons stalwart Adam Warren on two-year contracts, writes Huw S Thomas.

The 31-year-old, who was capped by Wales in 2012, has returned to the Premiership club where he played for five years between 2010 and 2015.

The centre made 53 appearances for the Drovers while on the books of the Scarlets before heading east to the Dragons, where he was a firm fixture in midfield until being released at the end of the season.

In a carefully considered career move, he has also been appointed backs and strength and conditioning coach at Llandovery College, Wales’ top rugby-playing independent school which has produced 48 Welsh internationals and one English international in current scrum-half Harry Randall.

He will soon be working closely with the College’s new director of elite rugby Sam Williams and head of rugby Nathan Thomas in preparing all College teams – boys and girls – for the new season ahead.

Already a graduate in sports science, Warren study for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education to attain qualified teacher status.

South Wales Guardian:

“The College is delighted to have successfully partnered with the Drovers to bring a player of Adam's quality into our coaching and strength and conditioning team set-up for September 2022,” said College warden Dominic Findlay.

“Adam will bring his many years of experience of the professional game into the College, sharing those experiences with our prospective stars of the future.”

Warren spent seven seasons at Rodney Parade with only two centres able to beat his tally of 132 appearances.

The reliable back will join his brother and wing Aaron at Church Bank and play under his former Coleg Sir Gar mentor Euros Evans.

Llandovery chairman Peter Rees said: “It will be great to see the two Warren brothers back together in what is already an exciting mix of young and experienced players.

“We are confident that Adam will help us and the College to further develop aspiring regional players and particularly - from the Drovers’ viewpoint - to play the exciting free-flowing rugby that is synonymous with Llandovery.

“It is great that the Premiership is attracting quality players both out of the regions and at the commencement of their careers.

“By getting a suitable mix of experience and youth we can continue to improve the standards at the semi-professional level whilst also providing an environment that will develop the stars of the future.

“I know our supporters will be delighted that Adam will be re-joining us and that he will be able to continue his career in Wales where he has been so popular for the last decade.

“All too often we see players forced to move outside Wales to sustain their career. It just demonstrates the potential for innovative partnership working for the benefit of Welsh rugby.”