NEWPORT Gwent Dragons, fresh from winning three games in a row, could be interested in signing Ospreys and Wales tight head prop Craig Mitchell.

He confirmed after helping Wales beat Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday that he is definitely leaving the Ospreys, but said his destination is undecided and talk of a move to Aviva Premiership newcomers Exeter is merely speculation.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has been aware for a while that Mitchell intends to leave the Ospreys and head for England.

But he would like to keep him in Wales and believes a switch to the Dragons would be a good fit for both the player and the region.

The Dragons have struggled in the scrums for the past two seasons, often shunted backwards and though Hugh Gustafson was a success last year and Phil Price is also emerging on the loose head, tight head has been a problem on the other side of the scrum.

Mitchell sees no long-term future at the Ospreys because of the presence of Wales and Lions ace Adam Jones.

He is filling his shoes at the moment because Jones is sidelined by an arm injury but is well aware that once he is fit again he will have to play second fiddle once more.

“I’m leaving the Ospreys, there’s nothing wrong and I’m loving my time there, but I’m ambitious. I want to play first team rugby and I want to play for Wales,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be playing for either if Adam was fit, but I want to be picked on merit. I want to compete for the jersey and playing is the way forward.

“I’m leaving the Ospreys but the club is unknown.”

Meanwhile Gatland has saluted Dragons blindside flanker Dan Lydiate as part of a “brilliant” back row and he explained why he took him off after only 53 minutes at Murrayfield.

Lydiate was clearly unhappy but Gatland explained, “The pitch was quite sticky and I wanted to get some fresh legs on.

“It was one of those games and at some stage I wanted fresh legs,” adding that Lydiate hadn’t played much recently because of injury.

“But the loose trio were outstanding, the two youngsters (Lydiate and Sam Warburton) and Ryan Jones were brilliant.

“Sam has learnt a heck of a lot, and he is potentially turning into a world class No 7.”

Gatland insists he won’t fall into the same trap he did for the Italy game next week that he did for the corresponding game in Rome two years ago when he made a stack of changes and Wales came unstuck.

Winger Leigh Halfpenny will resume training next week after missing the opening two Six Nations games and Gatland says newcomer George North is not far away from being fit again.

But he added significantly, “We will pick a strong side against Italy, we won’t be making eleven changes, the championship could come down to points difference.”