Boss Dean Ryan insists the final two games of the Guinness PRO14 season are crucially important to his Dragons – and provide vital preparation for the European Challenge Cup campaign.
Saturday, August 22 has been selected as a target date for the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 season to restart across all five competing territories.
The derby fixtures for the teams in Wales have yet to be confirmed and will be announced in line with kick-off times and broadcast selections.
Dragons are also set to face Bristol Bears in the quarter-finals of Europe in September.
And Ryan has acknowledged every game will be crucial as Dragons look to mount a strong end to the season.
“These games are important to close off the Guinness PRO14 – especially for the clubs at the top of it as they’ll have done a lot of work to get to that point,” he said.
“It would also be impossible for us to go into a European quarter-final without some sort of competitive action.
“To have the derbies means the intensity will be through the roof. There is no danger of the games being slow starters."
Dragons could yet find themselves up against British & Irish Lions tighthead Kyle Sinckler and Fijian ace Semi Radradra in Europe after they both moved to Bristol.
And Ryan admits it will make the last eight showdown a huge encounter.
He added: “We recognise there is an interesting recruitment drive at Bristol so there will be some names on the team sheet we haven’t seen before.
“It will be a big challenge and the Guinness PRO14 games will be good preparation.”
To have the derbies means the intensity will be through the roof... There is no danger of the games being slow starters...
