NEWPORT Gwent Dragons captain Jason Forster will urge his team to repay the faith shown in them when they face Cardiff Blues in tonight's Celtic League derby at Rodney Parade.

Dragons coach Paul Turner has responded to Saturday's disappointing defeat by bottom team Connacht a week after beating high flying Munster by picking them all again, though hooker Steve Jones could be missing with a shoulder injury.

"It's really baffling, I wish I knew the answer, I'd probably be a rich man," said a puzzled Forster trying to explain such a discrepancy in form.

"But you can't accept it, it was a big let down and our pride was hurt after raising the bar so high the week before.

"Paul has kept faith in us and we've got to repay it and show what we can do. The biggest thing is consistency, we've got to play at an optimum level week in, week out.

"Cardiff Blues have progressed with a few wins on the bounce and they're looking good. But we've got to worry about ourselves and strive for that consistency, we've got the players and we are the only ones who can get us out of the position we're in.

"We let ourselves down against Connacht and we played poorly. The Blues game will be a great way of getting back on the horse, putting the pride back in and showing what we're capable of.

"A big performance is needed and we've got to come out fighting. We've got to try to get a result in every game we've got left."

Turner still expects the Dragons to make Europe comfortably. "We're aware of the position and we saw Saturday as a chance to break away, but Connacht and Glasgow have had their free weekends whereas we haven't so we're still in the driving seat. Our destiny is in our own hands," he said.

"I've always felt that if we were the fourth Welsh side we would still get there the way Cardiff did.

"They have got good resources and they made a particularly good signing in Xavier Rush while Michael Phillips is playing extremely well and the Robinson boys (centre Jamie Robinson is out after injuring an ankle in training on Monday) are also playing well.

"Their set piece is strong, but they've been poor at times though Dai Young seems to have got something working there now and can afford to rest certain players at times which is a luxury we haven't got."

Dragons: A Thomas, G Wyatt, J Bryant, C Sweeney, N Brew, C Warlow, G Baber, A Black, S Jones or A Brown, R Thomas, I Gough, L Charteris, J Ringer, M Owen, J Forster (captain). Replacements: A Brown, D Maddocks, G Robinson, P Sidoli, A Hall, B Breeze, J Ireland.

Blues: R Williams, C Czekaj, M Stcherbina, T Davies, C Morgan, N Robinson, M Phillips, J Yapp, R Thomas, G Jenkins, D Jones, R Sidoli, K Schubert, X Rush, M Williams. Replacements: S Roberts, D Goodfield, M Lewis, R Sowden-Taylor, R Powell, N Macleod, L Thomas. Kick off 7.35pm.