CHARLIE Davies is relishing a return to the scene of one of his rugby highs when taking to the Kingsholm turf with Newport Gwent Dragons in the Anglo-Welsh Cup tomorrow afternoon.

The scrum-half was the match-winning hero when the Dragons upset the odds by beating Gloucester on their own patch in the quarter-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup last season.

That stunning 23-21 success was the last time that they won away from Rodney Parade and Davies hopes they can repeat one of the region’s finest triumphs can inspire them to break that streak.

“Last year was a great occasion and a big highlight, not only of my Dragons career but my whole rugby career,” said the 26-year-old former Wasps and Stade Francais half-back.

“It was a great day for the club and for me personally, but I won’t be thinking of last year. Gloucester have a strong squad and it probably will be at the back of their minds about getting a little bit of revenge.

“I am going to look forward to playing at Kingsholm again because it’s one of the most famous grounds in Europe and a great place to play.

“It will be close to being full even though the Six Nations is on and the Shed is always a good place to play in front of. I am just excited about being out there.”

Davies made his return from an injured thumb with a lively cameo in last Sunday’s 18-6 defeat to Newcastle at Rodney Parade.

The scrum-half suffered ligament damage in the October defeat to Enisei-STM in Krasnodar and has had to watch Tavis Knoyle make a bright start to life with the Dragons to push Sarel Pretorius for the 9 jersey.

Davies, who has filled his time by studying for his final year of a leadership and management degree at Northumbria University, has been impressed.

“Tavis is a great boy and a good player. He fitted into the squad straight away – he’s a character and a funny bloke,” he said.

“He probably plays in a quite similar way to me in that he is quite physical and likes to take people on, with a big boot as well.

“He has done really well coming into a new team and he has put pressure on to be first choice 9.

“We all have to work hard and if you get an opportunity then you have to take it, because there is someone waiting in the stands who will the next week.

“We are going to push each other but all three of us have a very good relationship and work to get each other better. It’s not a heated rivalry, it’s a positive one.”

The Dragons name their side for Gloucester at lunchtime but Davies will get another chance to impress ahead of a tough and important February in the Guinness PRO12.

They can’t qualify for the semi-finals of the Anglo-Welsh Cup but league dates away to Munster, Connacht and Glasgow plus a home encounter with Leinster ensures they are not taking the short trip over the border lightly.

“It’s a very tough month and a pretty tasty line-up,” said Davies. “We haven’t won away this season and have three big away games coming up.

“With some of those teams being depleted for the Six Nations it is a very good opportunity for us to go and get results and surprise people.

“If we do a good job in Gloucester that would build massive confidence in the squad, so this week has not been taken lightly.

“It’s a dead rubber and we can’t go through but it’s still pretty important for our season to start building so we can have a good finish to the year.”