NEWPORT Gwent Dragons get an excellent opportunity to get their season back on track tonight when they face a severely weakened Scarlets side at Rodney Parade.

Dragons head coach Darren Edwards has kept the faith with the starting XV who were largely disappointing in their 28-9 away defeat at Cardiff Blues last Friday.

But the Scarlets make a remarkable 14 changes from the side which took the field in their 22-14 home victory over the Ospreys on Boxing Day.

Most of the visitors’ top players like George North, Rhys Priestland, Jonathan Davies, Matthew Rees, Ben Morgan and Scott Williams are rested.

Edwards’ men start the Welsh derby as odds on favourites at 1-2 and should put an end to their miserable recent run of form and get their show back on the road.

The Dragons have lost four and drawn one of their last five and haven’t won since their impressive 23-13 victory over Perpignan in mid-November.

But the home side’s chances of turning things around have been boosted by key wingers Tonderai Chavhanga and Aled Brew overcoming injury scares picked up in the Blues defeat.

The Gwent region, still unbeaten at home in the league this season, certainly have the edge this evening.

They are up against a Scarlets side, skippered by ex-Dragons centre Gareth Maule, which is full of youth and unfamiliar faces.

Edwards’ men could have the edge in the backs with outside-half Jason Tovey needing to show he still has the potential after a dip in form of late. He will be up against Wales’ most capped player in Stephen Jones who has also not been playing his best rugby of late.

Scrum-half Wayne Evans will also be looking to rediscover his form of recent seasons and is up against 18-year-old Rhodri Williams. Scrummaging – arguably the Dragons’ biggest headache – will again be a key area with the two Nathans, Buck and Williams, as props, along with hooker Lloyd Burns needing to dominate in the front row.

The Scarlets scrum doesn’t set the world on fire so parity should be the minimum target at least.

In Adam Jones and Rob Sidoli the hosts have two highly competent locks but the combative Sione Timani and Dominic Day – the only survivor from the starting line-up who beat the Ospreys earlier in the week – are no mugs for the visitors.

The back row however, is the area where the Dragons should be streets ahead with their top international trio of Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau and skipper Gavin Thomas easily trumping Josh Turnbull, Johnathan Edwards, Kieran Murphy.

Wales flanker Turnbull makes his long-awaited comeback from shoulder trouble after three months on the sidelines.

The Dragons have a poor record against the Scarlets and haven’t beaten them in the league for four years since New Year’s Day 2008 when a 15-13 win at Rodney Parade completed the double.

Since then they have lost seven in a row, most recently by 22-12 at Parc y Scarlets in a poor display last month.

But they are well placed to change all that tonight, maintain their unbeaten league record at Rodney Parade and restore much needed self-confidence.

* Meanwhile former Wales captain and current Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees could be in hot water after he and teammate, prop Rhodri Jones, were cited for foul play in the Boxing Day derby match against the Ospreys.

Lions hooker Rees could miss the start of the Six Nations if he is found guilty – the top end punishment is a ban of ten weeks.

Both players are alleged to have dangerously tackled Rees’ Wales teammate in Ospreys second row Ryan Jones.

No date or venue for the players’ disciplinary hearing has been set as of yet.

And one player certain to miss this season’s Six Nations is Scarlets No 9 Tavis Knoyle.

The Wales scrum-half is out for at least three months because he needs to have an operation for a shoulder problem.

Dragons: M Thomas, T Chavhanga, A Hughes, L Robling, A Brew, J Tovey, W Evans, N Williams, L Burns, N Buck, A Jones, R Sidoli, D Lydiate, G Thomas (captain), T Faletau. Replacements: S Jones, P Price, D Way, J Groves, L Evans, J Bedford, A Tuilagi, W Harries.

Scarlets: D Newton, V Iongi, A Warren, G Maule (captain), A Fenby, S Jones, R Williams, P John, K Owens, D Manu, S Timani, D Day, J Turnbull, J Edwards, K Murphy. Replacements: E Phillips, I Thomas, P Edwards, L Reed, R Pugh, G Davies, A Thomas, D Evans.

Referee: Neil Henessey (WRU)