DAI Flanagan has urged his Dragons team to give the Rodney Parade faithful a performance to remember when they end a home run against ‘international class Benetton tonight.

The Dragons play their fourth Newport fixture of the first block of the United Rugby Championship and have so far put in strong showings in front of their fans.

They stunned the Ospreys at the death then suffered a role reversal against the Sharks before being edged out by the Lions.

“We should be three from four but we're not, we're one from four,” said head coach Flanagan, whose side finish the block away to Connacht next weekend.

“We are disappointed but our performances are tracking the right way, and each player's development is tracking the right way.

“We have to stick at what we believe in and have to keep pushing harder and harder.

COMPETITIVE: The Dragons were edged out by the Lions despite Taine Basham's braceCOMPETITIVE: The Dragons were edged out by the Lions despite Taine Basham's brace (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

“It's pleasing that, even after a poor performance against the Lions, everyone was telling me how well we had played.

“It was frustrating because it didn't look like what we are trying to build but a year ago we would have lost that game by 30 points.

“We are starting to see a bit more toughness and steel. We want to see another step forward this week.”

The Dragons have gone toe-to-toe with a pair of powerful South African sides and need to go again versus a Benetton team that features 18 international players in the matchday squad, 13 of them in the XV.

The Italians have a four-game unbeaten streak in Newport, although the spoils were shared 13-13 last time out in January, 2022 when the visitors were without a raft of Test players.

“Benetton are an international team. They are like the South African teams we have played in that they are big and strong but they also have quite a bit of star quality,” said Flanagan.

“I am a massive fan of their midfield, Ignacio Brex has been unbelievable for them for the past 12 to 18 months and they can pick Malakai Fekitoa, who is an athletic specimen, or Tommaso Menoncello, who is one of the best players in Europe.

“We have to control their midfield but it would be unfair to just talk about them because Benetton have two quality 10s, six quality outside backs, two full international back rows, four international locks, seven or eight international front row forwards.

“We know what is coming but it's about us, and they are at Rodney Parade. We have spoken to the team and this is our last home game for six weeks so we have to make sure we give our fans something to remember.”