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Welsh international Jonah Holmes could be switching positions at Dragons, according to head coach Dean Ryan when speaking to The South Wales. Holmes has signed with the region as he looks to keep his chances of playing for Wales alive. Holmes, who had been at Leicester Tigers, was obliged under the Senior Player Selection Policy (SPSP) to move to a Welsh region should he wish to continue his burgeoning international career.
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Holmes, who normally plays on the wing or full back, joins the Dragons after being released from the final year of his contract at Welford Road. The 27-year-old scored 24 tries in three seasons with Tigers and has earned three Wales caps to date.
His new coach, Dean Ryan told the newspaper that: “Jonah is a wing/full-back but I might push him in at 13 occasionally as well.”
The Dragons will have a significant amount of back three options next year, as per Ryan’s plan for more strength in depth at the region.
“He is another player who has got great line-breaking ability and it’s about us finding the best way of getting the best out of him.
“We will find out (if he has the skills for midfield), I don’t see him as a 13 but I just see his versatility.
“If you are a line-breaking full-back/wing, there are times that it’s possible to look at it and at times for a squad, as we saw from some of the challenges last year, the ability to play a number of position is hugely useful.”
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Holmes joined Leicester Tigers from RFU Championship club Yorkshire Carnegie in 2017 and claimed 11 tries in his first ten appearances for Leicester Tigers. He played 45 games during a three-season spell at Welford Road, after making his club debut in November 2017 against Gloucester. Holmes was called up to the Wales squad by Warren Gatland in 2018 and has made three Test appearances since his debut against Tonga in the 2018 autumn internationals.
