Elliot Dee has acknowledged the crucial altitude factor ahead of the Toyota Cheetahs clash – and believes controlling the tempo of the Guinness Pro14 game will be critical.
Dragons will fly to Bloemfontein on Friday – after a week training in Cape Town – for the big encounter at the Toyota Stadium (kick-off 6.35pm UK time).
And hooker Dee knows the challenge both he and his team-mates face with the game being played at high altitude – the stadium is 1,395 metres above sea level and higher up than Ben Nevis.
“We are expecting a fast and open game – and you add into that the altitude factor,” he said.
“We watched the Ospreys play them and they looked to control the tempo of the game. That is something we need to replicate.
“We don’t want it to be too loose as we know how dangerous they are what that happens.
“In terms of dealing with the altitude, it is a case of getting in and getting out. We are going to fly up Friday and play the game and look for the result before we get out quickly.
“All the boys are looking forward to it,” he added. “There was some frustration after the Kings game. It was a game we could have won and should have comfortably.
“We left a few tries out there and being clinical in the final moment was all that separated us from a big result. We should have pulled away and got a good win.
“We played some good stuff, showed on our counter-attack that we are dangerous with ball in hand and now it is a case of finishing that off and being ruthless.”
And in terms of his own fitness, the Wales ace insists he is ready to roll.
“The injury is all fine now,” he smiled. “The rib has been bugging me for a few weeks now, but I have passed all my fitness tests so I am back in and ready to go against the Cheetahs.”
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In terms of dealing with the altitude, it is a case of getting in and getting out. We are going to fly up Friday and play the game and look for the result before we get out quickly...
