The Dragons are back in Magners League action on Friday night when they travel to Stradey Park to take on the Scarlets (7.10pm) aiming for their first win down there.
The Dragons have welcomed Welsh internationals Kevin Morgan, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper, Ian Gough and Colin Charvis back into the squad for Friday night's game. Also selected having recovered from a foot injury sustained against the Blues is Nathan Brew.
"Friday night and the Scarlets is a massive game for The Dragons," said Paul Turner. "Welsh derby games are always huge, you have the added spice of the east / west rivalry and following their narrow win at Rodney Parade earlier in the season we are going out to avenge that result. The Scarlets are only one place below us in the Magners League table so the game will go someway to deciding the final Magners League standings and automatic Heineken Cup qualification. We owe the Scarlets one after surrendering our lead at home but we have learned from that as a squad and matured as a result. The Scarlets play a typical Welsh all round game, they are organised up front and have a number of promising youngsters in their side. We have never won at Stradey Park and it will be a big ask for the squad. It is hard to pick up anything down there but if we match them and make life difficult for them then there is no reason why we cannot get four points."
The two sides have faced each other seven times since the start of regional rugby with the Scarlets leading the record five games to two. The Scarlets have won the last four games between the two sides and last time out sneaked a one-point (22-23) win at Rodney Parade. The Dragons have won three of their last four matches but have not won away from home in the Magners League since beating Borders on the 22nd September.
Outside half Ceri Sweeney said, "While we have never won at the Scarlets we travel with confidence which comes from our performance at Ravenhill and also our home win over Glasgow which we secured in the final minutes played in dreadful conditions. At home we have made an impact in the League but our away form has let us down. We have not won on the road in the League since September, however, we have secured losing bonus points and won in France and we will take that belief as a squad down the M4. The Scarlets play a great style of rugby; they like an open game and if it is a dry night then it should be a fantastic spectacle. As well as the domestic League we are also building towards our European Challenge Cup quarter-final match and there would be no better way than to start preparations for the game against Brive than with a win over our rivals from the west."
With Friday nights game a must-win for both sides as they look for automatic qualification into next seasons Heineken Cup, the Scarlets and The Dragons have their own European aspirations for this season and quarter-final games to look forward to. The Dragons take on former Heineken Cup winners Brive next Saturday at Rodney Parade and ticket sales are already well over the 4,000 mark.
Head Coach Paul Turner concluded, "The crowd have been magnificent all season at Rodney Parade and that is a large part of why we are undefeated at home since September. The quarter-final game against Brive is a huge game for the region and is the most important game in our history. Over 4,000 tickets have already been sold so it is set to be a fantastic occasion, Brive like to run with the ball in hand and with a semi final spot at stake both teams will be giving it their all."
Dragons Squad
Kevin Morgan, Gareth Wyatt, Paul Emerick, Phil Dollman, Nathan Brew, Aled Brew, Aled Thomas, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper, Alex Walker, Adam Black, Ben Daly, Richard Wilkes, Lee Harrison, Jamie Corsi, Ian Gough, Peter Sidoli, Luke Charteris, Andrew Hall, Colin Charvis, Michael Owen, Jamie Ringer, Nic Fitisemanu
