RHYS Thomas is confident that Newport Gwent Dragons can once again thrive as underdogs to upset the odds against Edinburgh in the semi-final of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

The Dragons will head to Murrayfield a week on Friday (kick-off 7.45pm) with the aim of reaching a first final in their history.

The bookies have priced the Rodney Parade region as 7/1 outsiders to win the trophy and fancy Edinburgh to repeat their October success against Lyn Jones' men in the Guinness Pro12.

But hooker Thomas, who has been acting as skipper in the absence of the injured Lee Byrne and suspended Rynard Landman, believes their record on the road gives the Dragons reason to believe.

So far this season they have beaten Stade Francais and Newcastle with bonus points in the Challenge Cup, won against Cardiff Blues in the capital for the first time in 11 years, notched a first win in Dublin against champions Leinster and enjoyed a first league success at Treviso.

"We are away and it will suit us being underdogs and we are looking forward to it," said former Wales hooker Thomas.

"First we've got a huge game on Sunday against Leinster (in the Pro12) and hopefully we will keep the momentum for the semi-final.

"It's huge for the region and great to emulate a good Dragons squad that got to the semi-finals against Clermont Auvergne (in 2007).

"It's in our hands, we will be quite confident going away. We will be underdogs and that's right up our street."

Last Saturday's 25-21 quarter-final victory against Cardiff Blues was especially special for Thomas, who won the Challenge Cup when with the capital region in 2010.

And the 31-year-old believes the tense derby win will do the power good for a young squad of which 12 of the matchday 23 were playing a first knockout game.

"It was awesome," said Thomas. "There are players in that Blues side that I respect like Gethin Jenkins and Matthew Rees and just to get a win against them means a hell of a lot to me.

"We've got so many youngsters and hopefully this will give them extra confidence because they were up against the likes of Sam Warburton and they can kick on from here."

"I don't think we played that well and in the changing room a few of the boys were a bit disappointed, which is a good thing," he continued.

"To be disappointed after beating the Blues in a quarter-final isn't a bad thing; we won ugly like we did against Treviso when we would have folded a few months ago."