THE a small corner of Hong Kong that is Rodney Parade has been bolstered with the arrival of former Newport Gwent Dragons academy manager Will Thomas, writes Chris Kirwan.

Thomas, a former lock/back row with Cross Keys and player-coach at Ebbw Vale, has headed to the former British colony to become director of rugby at Hong Kong Football Club.

The 37-year-old, who has also previously worked for the Welsh Rugby Union and Neath chief executive as well as being involved with Welsh Triathlon, certainly hasn't been short of friendly welcome.

Former Dragons backs coach Dai Rees is general manager of performance rugby at the Hong Kong RFU, ex-Dragons forwards coach Leigh Jones used to coach the national side and still lives in Hong Kong while acting as Eddie Jones' assistant with Japan, former scrum-half Gareth Baber is head coach of the Hong Kong sevens squad and ex-lock Andrew Hall is elite player manager. Added to that is Welsh whistler Hugh Watkins, who heads up the referees department.

The group have enjoyed great success in China and Thomas is hoping to follow their lead by getting to grips with rugby, and life, in a foreign land.

"For probably the last five years I'd fancied working abroad in a rugby capacity just to experience a different country, culture and meet new people to broaden my experiences but when such jobs come up they are pretty desirable and thus pretty competitive to get," he said.

"Although I'd played in the HK 7s for Wales and the HK 10s for the Crawshays, I have to admit Hong Kong hadn't really entered my head."

However, a tip-off from WRU head of rugby Josh Lewsey led to the former forward throwing his hat in the ring and after a telephone then face-to-face interview he got the job.

"My role is to pretty much run the club from top to bottom," said Thomas. "They've got seven senior mens teams, a mens touring team, three women's teams and over a thousand minis, juniors and colts so it's a big club to manage.

"We've got a full-time head coach who a guy called Phil Bailey, an ex Australian rugby league international. He starts in October after the World Cup as he is currently defence Coach for the USA Eagles.

"My overarching role will be to establish and develop the performance and development structures and services within the club as they, and Hong Kong rugby in general, is rapidly evolving the professional elements to their game."