NEWPORT Gwent Dragons are out to prove their detractors wrong today when they look to bounce back from defeat by Leinster with a much-improved display away to Worcester (kick-off 3pm).

Head coach Kingsley Jones has hit back at certain sections of the Welsh media this week after his side came in for some harsh criticism for their performance in Dublin.

While Jones accepts the Dragons were well off the pace for a large part of the Guinness Pro12 clash, he insists there were positives to take from the 28-15 reverse.

The Rodney Parade chief will be eager for a response from his players this afternoon as the Dragons head to Sixways for a European Challenge Cup group stage clash with the Warriors.

Jones has made eight changes to his starting line-up for the Pool 3 encounter, with Carl Meyer, Pat Howard and Nick Crosswell out of the matchday squad altogether.

Centre Tyler Morgan moves to the right wing, Ashton Hewitt is in on the opposite flank, Tom Prydie replaces Meyer at full-back and Sarel Pretorius gets the nod at scrum-half.

Wales international Cory Hill lines up with Matthew Screech in the second row, Rhys Buckley takes the hooker’s jersey and Harri Keddie makes way for James Thomas in the back row.

“As much as I accept the performance in Dublin was poor, there were positives in the second half for us, so we’ve got to take those into this game,” said Jones.

“I’ve been working here for two years and the negativity is really over the top. It’s a tough league, it’s a tough competition, and the players were really disappointed (against Leinster).

“We have to face up to what we were disappointed with, but by the same token the players that came on made a positive impact.

“We probably had eight players missing but we don’t seem to mention that, we focus on what we’ve got.

“Worcester is an opportunity to try and move on from that game, and we have to, we have to move on quickly, you don’t dwell on it. We’ve worked very hard and all we hope for is a reaction.”

Commenting on the Aviva Premiership outfit, winless in Europe this term, he added: “A lot of the young guys they’ve got are really trying their best and playing well when they get chances.

“We expect a game against a team who are desperate for a win, but we feel if we put ourselves in the right mindset we can win.”

Dragons: T Prydie; T Morgan, S Beard, A Warren, A Hewitt; A O'Brien, S Pretorius; P Price, R Buckley, B Harris, M Screech, C Hill, J Thomas, N Cudd, L Evans (capt). Reps: E Dee, S Hobbs, L Brown, R Landman, H Keddie, T Knoyle, GR Jones, J Dixon.

Worcester: J Adams; B Howard, M Stelling, R Mills (capt), D Hammond; C Braid, G DeCothi; V Rapava Ruskin, J Singleton, B Alo, W Spencer, C Scotland-Williamson, S Betty, C Kirwan, M Cox. Reps: M Williams, R Bower, M Daniels, A Kitchener, H Taylor, C Hewitt, J Shillcock, A Short.