Gil Dudson settling into life in the south of France

However, Dudson made his bow in the Dragons’ win over Huddersfield in round two and, after scoring his first try in last Saturday’s Challenge Cup victory over Wakefield, he will make his home debut when his old club Salford visit Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday.

He said: “I’m settling in pretty good at the minute.

“Opportunities in life don’t always come along, to experience a different country and a different culture, and it was one I couldn’t really turn down.”

Dudson was forced to train on his own as the country battled with increasing Covid-19 infection rates and he was forced to wait to meet his new team-mates.

He added: “We didn’t actually get together until a couple of weeks before the season started so it was a real disjointed pre-season.

“It was probably more disjointed for me than most because I got Covid the first week and had to go into isolation.

“We didn’t have any massive symptoms, it was just sod’s law. I’d been fine all the year in the UK and played the whole season and ended up getting Covid the first week here.

“Then I picked up a knock and had to have a bit of a clean-out so I missed quite a bit of training.

“But I’m happy with the way things are at the minute.”

The Dragons play their first home game on Saturday as they welcome Dudson’s former club Salford to the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

After flying in and out of England for the first three weeks of the season, the Dragons finally get the chance to play at home, for which Dudson is especially grateful.

He said: “The travel has its own challenges on top of everything else so it will be nice not to have to get on two flights in a short period and be able to be at home, as you would on a normal game day.

“I’m sure my wife will be happy she’s not on her own with the kids all day.”