Willis keeps Newport captaincy
New Zealand international Tom Willis will retain the captaincy of the Newport Gwent Dragons for another season.
The new will come as a welcome lift to the club as they continue their preparations ahead of the new season. He has made 44 appearances for Newport since joining the club and has scored 10 points in the process.
"I'm very proud and happy to be captain of the Dragons again this season. I have enjoyed my first two years as captain of the team. I'm looking forward to leading the Dragons and building further on the successes of last year," said Willis.
The spine of any team is based on having a strong captain as leader. The role will also give Willis the perfect chance to improve upon the five caps that he has already won for his country.
He has many qualities that make him the perfect person to carry on in the role. These qualities will help the team ahead of next season in what will be a very tough Magners League to compete in.
Playing qualities
Willis is a player who likes to get stuck in and lead by example. His position of hooker means that he will be in the middle of the pitch and in the middle of the action.
If he can play with the right intensity during big games then he will inspire the players around him. He is very strong and physical and this allows him to make challenges in the important areas on the field.
His experience of already being captain will help him. He will now have a better idea of when to step in and talk to individual players during a game and when to talk to the referee over decisions that are not clear cut.
A tough league
It's important for every side in the Magners League to have a very strong person leading the team. Willis is someone who can do this but it means that there will be some very hard to beat teams for Newport to face during the new season.
It is very rare that a team goes through a season without experiencing very intense and difficult matches. These are games that can go either way. Sometimes the defeats can be very disappointing and hard to take and it's important for the captain to step in and lift the team.
There is a good deal of work left to do at Newport because the club will want to get as close to the top of the league this season as possible. Captain is an important job and the club seem to have faith that Willis is the man to take the team forward.
Head coach Paul Turner added: "Tom has done an excellent job as captain of the region over the last two seasons and I'm delighted that he has accepted the role again for the current season. His leadership qualities are top notch and I'm sure he will continue to be successful in the role. Ironically his leadership really came out last season when he was injured which is testament to him."
Betting advice
Newport will be better off for having Willis as their skipper. He is good enough and experienced enough to excel in his role and he should help to get behind the team and drive them forward. They have a lot of good players so don't be afraid to back them to succeed.
Avoid betting on Willis as a player. He's scored just 10 points at the club in the last two years, which proves that he is not exactly lethal when he's out on the pitch. Kickers and forwards will have more productive games and will rake in the points.
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