HALLAM Amos is confident that Newport Gwent Dragons will thrive on the pressure of their European Rugby Challenge Cup derby against Cardiff Blues.

The rivals will go toe-to-toe at Rodney Parade on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 12.45pm) in the first all-Welsh European knockout game since Llanelli beat Cardiff in 2000.

The game will make or break the seasons of the Dragons and Blues, who are both languishing in the bottom half of the Guinness Pro12.

The stakes are high and the visitors boast a wealth of big-game experience in the shape of Sam Warburton, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees and Alex Cuthbert.

The Dragons, meanwhile, have not played a knockout game since losing to Gloucester in the 2011 LV= Cup, long before the likes of Amos, Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon were in the mix.

Lyn Jones' side have played some dazzling rugby in recent weeks and Amos is confident the young guns will stand tall.

"The kind of pressure situations are ones that I enjoy," said the 20-year-old, whose solitary cap came against Tonga in the autumn of 2013.

"There is always the danger of people hiding under pressure but I don't think that it will affect us on Saturday and if you show that you can cope with it then it will lead onto bigger and better things."

"I've not played knockout rugby since my school days," he continued. "It will be a nice experience for the squad and one that we can build on.

"As a backline we are young and it's great to have the likes of Boris Stankovich, Rhys Thomas and Andrew Coombs who have been around and can show us the way.

"Richie Rees played in a Heineken Cup semi-final when he just chipped his penalty over in the shootout (for Cardiff Blues against Leicester at the Millennium Stadium). It's good to have them showing us the ropes."

Amos has made 59 regional appearances since his debut at Wasps in 2011 but this is new territory in Dragons colours.

"This is the biggest game that I've been involved with here and it's always good to play in these fixtures," he said. "It helps you raise your game and I hope Rodney Parade will be rocking."

The Dragons have received a fitness boost with openside flanker Nic Cudd declared fit after overcoming a neck problem but influential loosehead Stankovich is rated 50/50 with a calf problem with the management team planning to leave a decision as late as possible.

Around 7,000 tickets has been sold, go to newportgwentdragons.com/tickets or ring 01633 674990 for information.