New skipper Byrne is 34, former Leicester Tigers front row expert Stankovic is 35 in January and former Newport favourite Gough is 38 in November, but all three more than proved their worth in the stunning 27-25 win over Northampton Saints in the final friendly before the Guinness PRO12 kicks-off.
“I wanted to introduce some players who know what it’s like to play in winning teams week-in, week-out. I don’t want any more hard luck stories this season or people tapping us on the back congratulating us on getting close to the top sides,” said Jones.
“I want this squad to shake off the tag of ‘gallant losers’ and be able to convert those close shaves into victories. To do that you need players who have been used to winning and who know what it takes to turn games in their favour.
“When you look at the Dragons squad last season it was full of players in their mid twenties who had only been involved in failure. By bringing in players like Lee, Boris and Ian, who have played in hugely successful teams, were hoping they can influence the younger players and help us to turn near misses into victories.”
Stankovich’s power at the scrum was certainly evident in the stunning triumph over the English champions at Eugene Cross Park and Jones’ desire to convert close games into wins came true as the Dragons picked up 14 points in the final five minutes to turn a 25-13 deficit into a 27-25 victory.
Another summer recruit, Andy Powell, also showed he still has plenty to offer at 33 as he picked up rave reviews for his ball carrying and tackling.
“The PRO12 is going to be a lot tougher this season because of the new European qualification rules and we will need a bigger and more experienced squad. The ideal scenario is to have 30 players available and not know which is your best team,” said Jones.
“It means you can switch like for like in any position and not weaken the team week after week. That’s when you know you are in a good position.
“At Sale Sharks I was able to change Jason White for Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe. Then, at Toulon, we were able to leave Bryan Habana out one week and have him itching to prove a point the next.
“It’s about maintaining high standards throughout every game in the season. The only way you can do that is by having enough players of the right quality.”
