NONE of the other 22 players that take to the pitch at Welford Road tomorrow will take Jack Dixon's record but the centre knows the Anglo-Welsh Cup experience will be invaluable for the Newport Gwent Dragons youngsters.

It was five years ago that Dixon, then 16 years and 313 days old, came off the bench against Wasps in Wycombe to become the youngest player to feature in a regional rugby match.

The previous record had been set just 33 minutes earlier by his teammate Hallam Amos, who had to settle for being the youngest try scorer when he went over in the excellent 30-29 success.

At 21, Dixon still has his best years ahead of him but the Newbridge man is no longer a whippersnapper at Rodney Parade with 63 appearances under his belt – "I feel like I've been around forever!".

The centre is set to be joined by a number of youngsters in the East Midlands this weekend and knows that the experience against the Tigers will serve the next generation well.

"It's nerve-racking and at the time everyone just seemed massive when we were walking in and out of the changing rooms," said Dixon when recalling making his bow when still a student at Coleg Gwent.

"It's all about taking your opportunity and just getting on with it on the pitch. The intensity of it all was a different level but the boys that come in are ready for it and just have to get the job done."

Dixon is starting to hit his straps after a nightmare 2015/16 that was ruined by a career-threatening kidney injury suffered in a pre-season friendly, just as he had been looking to build on his experience with Wales' pre-World Cup training squad.

The centre was to the fore in the superb defensive performance that earned a 21-16 victory against Connacht at Rodney Parade last weekend and wants to build on the success in Leicester.

"It was nice to get a good win over the champions and things have been really positive in training, the boys are smiling and laughing and we are looking forward to the weekend," he said.

"We've set the bar now. We feel we haven't been far off getting the wins and we are going in the right direction, so have to keep building."

"Leicester are a quality team and the boys can't wait to get there; we've heard the ground is great and they get good crowds," continued Dixon, who could lock horns with former Wales Under-20s teammates Luke Hamilton and Owen Williams.

"We are all excited for this one because a few of the old heads have said what a good experience it is there and it's a chance for some of the academy boys to have a run out."