LEWIS Evans wants Newport Gwent Dragons to use the unwanted underdogs tag to their advantage in Montpellier after upsetting the odds in Gloucester for one of the region's greatest victories.

The Dragons will travel to the south of France in the last four of the European Challenge Cup after stunning the holders on their own turf at Kingsholm.

The Cherry and Whites were hot favourites to make it 16 wins on the spin in the competition but Montpellier, who are second in the Top 14 and boast a star-studded squad, will be even more fancied after their own impressive quarter-final win.

Saturday's early kick-off meant that the Dragons stayed in Gloucester on Friday evening and the squad watched the television coverage of the first Challenge Cup quarter-final, seeing a Sale side who had thrashed them 38-5 to take Pool Two top spot turned over in Salford.

"Montpellier have a brand of exciting rugby," said flanker Evans. "We found it quite tough in Sale but Montpellier, with their superstars and South Africans, played attractive rugby with some brutal force as well.

"It's going to be a tough challenge but we are used to that now and will have a positive mentality.

"We've been trying to get rid of the underdog tag but the pressure was all on Gloucester to perform because they were the ones with a fantastic record, but we have good form in Europe and just came to play."

Captain Evans was praised post-match by head coach Kingsley Jones for his brave decision to go for the corner rather than the posts in the closing stages, a call that saw Charlie Davies barge over for the winner.

"The momentum was with us. Rather than take three points then be back in our half we thought we'd keep building the pressure with possession and territory," said Evans.

"Fortunately we got a decent drive and everyone had to buy into the maul from the Gloucester team and Charlie did the rest.

"It was a massive team effort. It wasn't just me making the decision, as soon as I said it everyone backed it and got the job done."

Evans is closing in on Steve 'Jabba' Jones' regional record for games played and the flanker hasn't enjoyed many better occasions that his 176th appearance.

"If it's not the best then it's right up there," he said. "We've enjoyed some derby wins through the years but winning away at Kingsholm in a quarter-final is right up there.

"I came here in 2011 (for the LV= Cup semi-final) and got taught a harsh lesson. Not enough of us turned up mentally on the day but this time we did and got our rewards.

"It was fantastic for us as a team but the fans deserved it, we had a great support and managed to silence 'The Shed', which doesn't happen very often.

"In the end you could hear our mental supporters going nuts and we went over to thank them just as much as each other."