The Dragons, a professional rugby union team based in Wales, are in advanced discussions with their head coach, Filo Tiatia, about extending his contract. Tiatia, a former All Blacks forward known for his rugby prowess, joined the Dragons in the summer of 2024 as their defense coach. After the departure of previous head coach Dai Flanagan in November 2024, Tiatia was promoted to interim head coach and later appointed as the permanent head coach in February 2025. His current contract is set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, and the club is eager to secure his future with them. Rhys Blumberg, the Dragons’ chief executive, expressed enthusiasm about the potential extension. "We'd love to lock Filo in and back him for a long-term future at the Dragons," Blumberg said. "He has definitely got an appetite to stay and we have an appetite to keep him. We will work through that over the next month or so to get something done." Tiatia, who has previously coached in New Zealand and Japan, is seen as a key figure in the club's development. Tiatia’s first season as head coach was challenging, as the Dragons finished at the bottom of the United Rugby Championship (URC), a top-tier European rugby competition. However, the team showed signs of improvement last season, securing three wins and four draws in the URC. Despite finishing 15th, the club made progress by earning 19 more league points and reaching the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, a European rugby competition. Blumberg praised Tiatia’s leadership, saying, "Filo deserves real credit for how much belief he instills in people – that is his superpower." Tiatia has taken on a more prominent role since stepping up from defense coach in the 2024-25 season, and he brought in Dale MacLeod last summer to assist him. MacLeod, a seasoned New Zealand coach, has effectively acted as Tiatia’s deputy. Blumberg highlighted the importance of their partnership, saying, "Dale is the yin to Filo's yang." The Dragons also benefit from the support of other skilled coaches and staff, creating a strong foundation under Tiatia and MacLeod’s leadership. The Dragons will start their URC campaign on Friday, 25 September, with a match against Benetton in Italy at 19:45 BST. This will be the first of six fixtures in the first block of the season, marking the beginning of their efforts to push for a stronger performance in the upcoming campaign.