Forwards Coach Luke Narraway has called on Dragons to make sure they are emotionally ready to perform when they return home.
After almost two months away from Rodney Parade, the Men of Gwent are back this Saturday evening when they face Top 14 side Section Paloise in Round 2 of the EPCR Challenge Cup (kick-off 5.30pm).
Dragons opened the European season with a battling 31-31 draw against Emirates Lions in South Africa and know victory on home soil will only enhance knockout stage aspirations.
But Narraway – who previously coached in France with Bordeaux-Begles and played for Perpignan – knows all about the dangers of the club’s French visitors this weekend.
“We need to concentrate on what's worked for us at home before,” he stated.
“We need to make sure that emotionally we're there, which in my experience breeds a great atmosphere at Rodney Parade.
“When we show everything on the field, then the fan base and the stadium feeds off that and it makes it a really difficult place to come.
“We've been drawn against two really good sides,” he added. "Any side in the Top 14 is going to be strong home and away.
“It's a great league over there and it's very competitive. But we need to get back home and make sure we put a performance in.
“We've been stronger this year at Rodney Parade and we need to make sure that we get the things right that we have done in previous games at home.
“Hopefully if we look after the performance, the result will follow.”
Pau started the European season with defeat to Cheetahs at home, but Narraway will be taking nothing to chance against the French side.
"We've approached it like we do any game. We do our due diligence, we do our research," he said.
"We speak to the players, we get their thoughts and then together we form a plan of action.
"We know that the strengths and weaknesses may be a little bit different, just because of the nature of the beast in Top 14 to English Premiership to URC, but that's what makes Europe so interesting to play with so many different styles, so many different cultures."
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We need to make sure that emotionally we're there, which in my experience breeds a great atmosphere at Rodney Parade...
