My life's a bit like spinning plates, says Lydiate

FOR Dan Lydiate, life is a bit like spinning plates these days. Having moved into a player-coach role at the Dragons, the 72cap Wales flanker is juggling those two duties with farming and family commitments.

- SIMON THOMAS

It’s fair to say he is a busy man. But he’s clearly relishing being part of the back-room team under interim head coach Filo Tiatia.

He’s focusing on the breakdown and collisions, while he took a prominent role in preparing the A team for recent eye-catching victories over development sides from the Scarlets (73-21) and Ospreys (38-17).

“I’m enjoying it. It’s been good so far,” said the 36-year-old. “I’ve sort of got a foot in either camp at the minute. The first five games of the season, I played in four of them, while dipping my toes into coaching.

“I had a few jokes from the boys to start with. When I would go and sit with them, everyone would go ‘Shush, don’t talk, the coach is here!’. But they are good to be fair.