PROP Boris Stankovich says Newport Gwent Dragons have taken encouragement from standing toe-to-toe with Northampton's powerful pack but has stressed that it will count for nothing come 5pm.

The Rodney Parade regions open their Guinness Pro12 campaign against Connacht in Galway today and will need to avoid a repeat of last season's humiliation at the hands of Pat Lam's side.

The Irish province eased to a bonus point victory in Newport after destroying the Dragons up front, with three of their tries coming from the driving lineout and the other from the scrum.

A thoroughly demoralising afternoon included the front row of Owen Evans, Hugh Gustafson and Bruce Douglas being replaced en bloc before half-time.

The Dragons will have to do better at the Sportsground and the signs were encouraging in their final warm-up against the English champions.

Northampton, who boast one of Europe's strongest packs, attempted to put the squeeze on up front but Lyn Jones' side stood firm and emerged with a 27-25 victory.

The Dragons have opted for the same starting front row with 34-year-old loosehead joining forces with 20-year-old hooker Elliot Dee and 22-year-old tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother.

"Going into the Northampton game a lot of people were expecting us to have 40 points put on us," said Stankovich. "We were pleased with the result and how we did in the tight game.

"They did well up against (loosehead) Alex Corbisiero, who is a British Lion, and (hooker) Dylan Hartley, who would have been a British Lion if he hadn't got himself into trouble (by being sent off against Stankovich's Leicester for swearing at referee Wayne Barnes during the Saints' Aviva Premiership final defeat).

"That was a quality Northampton pack but you can't read too much into pre-season games because what really matters is this weekend and it's going to be a huge challenge.

"We have put a lot of work into the scrum in pre-season and I hope that we are in a better place than this time last year but we are still a long way from where we need to be."

Stankovich and Fairbrother are joined in making Dragons debuts by full-back and captain Lee Byrne, lock Rynard Landman and number eight Andy Powell.

Centre Barney Nightingale – a 17-year-old Newport High School student from Chepstow – could make his regional bow off the bench after catching the eye in the pre-season wins against Bristol and Northampton.

Teenagers Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan, who are 19 and 18 respectively, are paired together in midfield while Wales international Andrew Coombs slots in at lock after playing blindside in pre-season.

Lions star Taulupe Faletau is among the replacements and is poised for his first action since Wales' heart-breaking second Test defeat to South Africa in June.

Connacht: S Layden, N Adeolokun, D Leader, D McSharry, D Poolman, J Carty, I Porter, D Buckley, D Heffernan, N White, M Kearney, Q Roux, J Muldoon (captain), J Heenan, E McKeon. Replacements: S Henry, F Bealham, R Ah You, G Naoupu, W Faloon, K Marmion, M Nikora, C Finn.

Dragons: L Byrne (captain), T Prydie, T Morgan, J Dixon, A Brew, J Tovey, J Evans, B Stankovich, E Dee, L Fairbrother, A Coombs, R Landman, L Evans, N Cudd, A Powell. Replacements: R Thomas, O Evans, D Way, I Gough, T Faletau, D Jones, G R Jones, B Nightingale.

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)