NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coach Darren Edwards believes they will be locking horns with the most improved side in the Magners League when they take on Aironi.

The Italians have suffered a miserable first season in the Magners League with a record to date of played 13, lost 13.

However, they are showing real signs of progress and pushed Leinster all the way in Dublin last week. They lost 21-16 at the RDS to secure their first away league point.

Edwards expects it to be a far tougher challenge in northern Italy than it was at Rodney Parade when Aironi indiscipline was punished by the left boot of fly-half Jason Tovey.

He said: “They don’t look like a side under pressure and they are probably the most-improved side in the league because they were penalty machines earlier in the season.

“They have got their game on track and week on week are a difficult challenge.

“It’s a matter of time before they get that first win and hopefully it won’t be against us.

“Aironi are a heavy, physical team. They don’t give up and it took Leinster until the death to finish them off.

“I am expecting this to go the distance and I would be very surprised if we had five points in the bag by half-time.”

The Dragons are boosted by the return of Martyn Thomas, who missed last week’s win against Edinburgh because of a hamstring twinge, and Edwards is looking for his potent runners to do some damage.

“We have lacked a little bit of balance all season (through lack of a specialist full-back) and there is some strike power in our back three now,” he said.

“It is one of those games where we just need ball. Our forwards have been going well recently but this will be a real test for them.”

Plans to give Adam Hughes a weekend off were scuppered when centre Matthew Watkins suffered a minor hamstring injury in training.

Hughes covers wing and centre from the bench while Will Harries reverts to his favoured position of wing.

Centres Pat Leach and Tom Riley are paired together as Ashley Smith suffered a slight back injury against Edinburgh. Smith and Watkins will resume their midfield partnership the next week in Glasgow.

Lloyd Burns gets the start at hooker in place of injured captain Tom Willis with Luke Charteris leading the side from lock.

Dragons: M Thomas, W Harries, P Leach, T Riley, A Brew, J Tovey, W Evans, P Price, L Burns, D Way, R Sidoli, L Charteris (captain), A Coombs, L Evans, J Bearman.

Replacements (from): S Jones, H Gustafson, B Castle, A Jones, S Morgan, H Ellis, A Hughes, M Jones, M Petri.