BROK Harris is glad that he'll be slugging it out with Guinness Pro12 champions Leinster on Sunday rather than resting up, declaring it as perfect preparation for Newport Gwent Dragons' bruising European semi-final in Edinburgh.

Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones is resisting the temptation to wrap his first-teamers in cotton wool ahead of the Challenge Cup encounter at Murrayfield a week on Friday.

He will instead ask his first XV to get stuck into the playoff-chasing Irish heavyweights at Rodney Parade on Sunday (kick-off 4.15pm) before giving them a light training load next week.

And Harris, who stressed the Dragons have quickly got down from cloud nine after their 25-21 quarter-final victory against Cardiff Blues, says that no player is complaining about big games coming thick and fast.

"We live for this," said the 30-year-old tighthead. "We live for challenges like Leinster and Edinburgh in a semi-final.

"These are going to be two hard and physical games, forward battles. Leinster is a good curtain-raiser for what's coming in the semi-final, so we can take a lot from what we do in this game.

"Leinster can't afford to lose again (they are fifth in the race for the playoffs) so will pick all their internationals, while it's our ground and we don't want to make fools of ourselves.

"We must just focus on the here and now. We will focus on Edinburgh next week."

Harris has been a mainstay of the Dragons front row since arriving straight from Super Rugby exploits with the Stormers and a Currie Cup success with Western Province.

The prop has started in 19 of 20 games since his debut at Harlequins in November, the sole game he missed being the LV= Cup defeat to Exeter.

The South African has played a huge part in shoring up the Dragons' scrum and has impressed with his durability, frequently lasting deep into games and playing the full 80 against Cardiff Blues last weekend.

Harris, however, is happy to wait until June before resting his weary limbs in Cape Town.

He said: "I've just keep my head down for six weeks and then it's back to South Africa, feet up and doing nothing for four weeks until pre-season!"