Jamie Roberts: Wales star wants to be Dragons mentor after Cardiff Blues talks

Wales centre Jamie Roberts hopes to play a mentoring role for his new side Dragons after revealing he held talks about a return to Cardiff Blues.

The 33-year-old joined Dragons after leaving South African side Stormers.

After seven years away from Wales, Roberts discussed rejoining Cardiff Blues but says his home club did not make a firm offer for his services.

"It's no secret I spoke to those guys but ultimately there wasn't an opportunity there," he said.

"I was in Cape Town at the end of March, coronavirus shut the country down and I was in limbo - being out of contract during a pandemic was not fun.

"I had a few options around the world to carry on my professional career and then I sat down with Dean [Ryan, Dragons director of rugby] and went through the squad.

"I've always wanted to come back to play in Wales before I hang up my boots, and I don't know when that will be. I certainly want to play for another two or three seasons if I can, and I feel good. I feel like I played some of my best rugby in South Africa."

Passing on experience

Roberts was born in Newport and visited the Dragons' home ground, Rodney Parade, on several occasions during his childhood because his father, Norman, is a lifelong Newport fan.

However, most rugby followers associate Roberts with Cardiff Blues, where he started his career.

Having gone to school in the Welsh capital city and progressed through the ranks at Cardiff RFC and the Blues, Roberts has gone on to forge a glittering career which has seen him earn 94 caps for Wales and make three Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions across two tours.

He has also travelled the world over the course of his club career, playing for Racing 92 in Paris, English Premiership sides Harlequins and Bath as well as the Stormers.

Roberts now wants to share that wealth of experience with the Dragons' younger players.

"The appeal to me is I think there are a few players in that squad who will be in contention for the Lions tour, there are a few players in that squad who are already established international players. And when I look at the rest of the majority of that squad, they're potential international players," said Roberts.

"There are young players who are maybe 20-25% off being there or thereabouts. The appeal for me is, if I can harness those experiences of playing around the world, playing in some of the top leagues in the world, and contribute to the growth of those lads.

"Dean spoke about me being at a certain point in my career and it's probably not something I would've thought about when I was 22 or 23. But I'm 33, I've been fortunate to achieve a lot of what I've set out to in this game, and nothing would please me more than seeing those other lads do that. It's exciting."

'Dragons still millions of pounds behind everyone else'

Roberts is the latest in a series of eye-catching acquisitions for Dragons, who have also signed fellow Wales internationals Nick Tompkins and Jonah Holmes in recent months.

Those moves have prompted some to question how Dragons - traditionally the weakest region in Wales but not this season - are able to afford these new players.

"It's interesting what gets said. We work in exactly the same distribution model as everyone else and we already know that we are millions of pounds behind everyone else. Nothing has changed," said Dean Ryan, Dragons' director of rugby.

"We would welcome any transparency over what is going on. We are happy that we have worked to the same distribution model, we know that already significantly disadvantages the Dragons.

"We've just been pretty effective, pretty smart in the market and we have had conversations and what we are doing is resonating with people.

"We've not told a story or made a story up [when negotiating with players]. It's been a story about a region recognising where they are.

"It's a story that has been transparent all the way through. It needs some stability; it needs some players to come in and assist with it.

"We're always interested when people are talking about the Dragons and where their motives might lie."