RHYS Thomas is targeting a win against Edinburgh on Sunday to take the lead in Newport Gwent Dragons' Guinness Pro12 'mini league'.

The Dragons return to league action at Rodney Parade against the Scots (kick-off 3.30pm) with the aim of recording back to back wins in the competition for the first time since April, 2015.

They turned over champions Connacht 21-16 thanks to a tenacious defensive display at the start of the month and if they can repeat the trick against Edinburgh then they will leapfrog their guests into eighth place.

"Edinburgh, Connacht, there's a mini league within the Pro12 and it's important that we win," said former Wales hooker Thomas, with the Dragons currently four points above Zebre and five ahead of Treviso.

"If we get the performance then the win will look after itself. That's what's been frustrating this season because we've kept letting ourselves down, but in recent games the pieces of the jigsaw have come together.

"Edinburgh are a strong team and play a bit more of an expansive game under their new coach (Duncan Hodge), but for the last few weeks we've looked after ourselves."

The Dragons have won three on the spin at Rodney Parade with the European Challenge Cup success against Brive followed by Connacht and then last week's Anglo-Welsh Cup victory against the Scarlets.

They fielded a more experienced team than the west Walians with Thomas stressing the need to stay on a roll in Newport ahead of their Edinburgh clash.

"We wanted to play as strong a team as we could because we can't afford to rest 15," said the hooker, who was a replacement. "It's important to win our home games and get confidence from that."

Thomas is back in the thick of the action after being hindered by a shoulder injury in the opening weeks of the season, grinning and bearing it after suffering a blow in pre-season.

"It was against Exeter and I thought I had a bruise," said the 27-times capped front rower. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want the youngsters to think that I'm soft.

"It got to the point where I had to have an X-ray and they found a fracture, which I was glad for because it keeps my reputation about trying to lead from the front!

"At different stages of your career you have different things to play for. Some seasons you think you should be pushing on, some seasons there is a person in your position, some seasons it's for a contract, some seasons it's for money.

"At this stage of my career I just want to prove a point to myself and to the youngsters. I've got to try and lead from the front."

To do that he has to win a battle for the 2 jersey with Wales hopeful Elliot Dee, who is back from ankle ligament damage suffered in pre-season, in-form Rhys Buckley and livewire new boy Darran Harris.

"When I first came to the Dragons maybe the competition wasn't as strong as it is should have been, not just in my position but across all of them," said Thomas.

"As Kingsley (Jones, head coach) said in training on Tuesday, he can now pick two or three people who can happily do the job. With the physicality and intensity that we play at it is common sense that you don't play every game but you want to be missed."

The Dragons name their team at midday on Friday with captain Lewis Evans set to return in the back row while Thomas and tighthead Brok Harris are likely to be back in the front row.