CHRIS ANDERSON FACTFILE 1984: Appointed player-coach at Halifax 1986: Wins league title 1987: Wins Challenge Cup 1990: Begins coaching Canterbury in Australia 1995: Takes the Bulldogs to the Premiership 1998: Joins Melbourne Storm 1999: Melbourne win NRL Grand Final 1999: Becomes Australia coach 1999: Kangaroos beat Great Britain 42-6 2000: Storm claim World Club Championship 2000: Kangaroos produce record 52-0 win over New Zealand 2000: Guides Australia to World Cup victory 2001: Leaves Melbourne for Cronulla Sharks 2001: Oversees Australia's tour to Britain 2003: Contract terminated by Sharks in December 2004: Replaced as Australia coach by Wayne Bennett in February

Anderson has been offered the position, although it is subject to his work permit being finalised.

Although he has no previous experience in the 15-man code, Anderson has a vast knowledge of rugby league.

At club level Anderson has coached English side Halifax and Australian sides Canterbury and Melbourne.

All three sides won their respective Premierships under Anderson's guidance.

Previous Dragons head coach Mike Ruddock left for the Wales job in May, while Declan Kidney was appointed as his successor but decided to remain in Ireland with Leinster.

Former Wales dual-code international Jonathan Davies knows Anderson well, having played under him at Canterbury Bulldogs.

"His credentials are fantastic and he's one of the best, if not the best, coaches that I ever played under," Davies told BBC Wales.

"Things have gone sour for him in Australia and it's a brave decision by both parties (to coach the Dragons).

"Chris loves a challenge, he's very disciplined, he's got a great knowledge of rugby league and he will bring fresh ideas to the Dragons.

"The people around him will be vitally important, he will need a bit of help, but he is very, very good at what he does.

"He's a great man-manager, he's very disciplined; if those Dragons players think they're going to have an easy time let me tell them they're in for a shock.

"This guy puts a lot in and he expects a lot out."

During his playing career, Anderson won 15 caps for Australia as a wing, while he guided the Kangaroos to a World Cup win in 2000.

The 50-year-old is also a familiar figure to Dragons chief executive Andy Marinos, who like Davies played under him at the Bulldogs.

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Anderson has enjoyed his fair share of controversy during his coaching career, never afraid to clear out the old guard and bring in new players in the search for success.

His insistence on being given free rein has seen him sacked by two clubs and his country - the first Kangaroo coach to get his marching orders since Terry Fearnley in 1985.

But his methods get results and his record in both domestic and international rugby league is outstanding.

Halifax were real strugglers when Anderson joined them from Canterbury in 1985.

As player-coach, Anderson turned Halifax's fortunes around to the point where they won the league title in 1985-86 and the Challenge Cup in 1987.

If he can continue that track record in rugby union with an already powerful Dragons side, further bolstered by recruits from the disbanded Celtic Warriors, then it will come as little surprise to those that know him.