Dragons caretaker coach Darren Edwards is also Wales under-20 boss

Caretaker Darren Edwards has confirmed he wants to become Newport Gwent Dragons full-time coach after their LV= Cup semi-final defeat to Gloucester.

But Edwards has called on the Newport Gwent region's board to invest in their infrastructure to develop the Dragons' young Welsh talent into top players.

The Dragons have no training ground and use school fields to prepare for games.

"The message to the board is to improve our infrastructure and we will develop these players," said Edwards.

The 36-year-old is also coach of Wales' under-20 squad so is acutely aware of the importance to unearth and groom home-grown talent for both club and country.

Edwards, without flanker Dan Lydiate who starred for Wales in their 19-13 win over Ireland, named an all-Welsh squad for just the region's second semi-final in their short history.

But Edwards' young Dragons were comprehensively defeated by English Premiership giants Gloucester 45-17 in front of a packed Kingsholm crowd.

Now the Dragons temporary boss wants to become the permanent successor to Paul Turner to ensure semi-final appearances are not a rarity.

And Edwards insists he does not want to follow the other Welsh regions by signing experienced, and often expensive, foreign imports to bolster their youthful squad.

"Yes it is a job I want," insisted Edwards. "It is a tough job but a good job.

"These young players need exposure and if we bring in players from oversees then how do we expose our young players?

"They would have taken up some of those slots out there against Gloucester and we would never have known how good our boys are.

"We're in a massive transition at the Dragons at the moment and exposing these guys to the game today will help us in the future.

"That foreign player market will not be there for ever and we must make sure we have Welsh players coming through and hopefully our young players will be different in two or there years time."

Young number eight Toby Faletau, who has already won Wales honours, starred while centre Pat Leach, full-back Martyn Thomas and Wales lock Luke Chateris also performed well.

But the Dragons were crushed by a streetwise Gloucester side on Sunday as Edwards hopes his youngsters take note of their rugby education at Kingsholm.

He also hopes the Dragons management take note of their semi-final cup appearance, the only in the region's history apart from a 2007 European Challenge Cup last four defeat to Clermont Auvergne, and invest in infrastructure to improve their promising players.

The cash-strapped Dragons train on pitches at Newport High School while their Rodney Parade ground is currently being redeveloped.

And Edwards has now challenged the Dragons to learn from their Gloucester lesson.

"We came into uncharted territory for most of these players," said Edwards.

"Hopefully that has fuelled some ambition within them. They have tasted it and do they want some more?

"And then we have to improve. I think there was massive improvement with individuals and potential in others, it is just collectively we have to put it together.

"It was important we got to a semi-final stage to prove these guys can actually achieve something. Now we have to kick it on and become the polished outfit that Gloucester were."

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