HIGH-PROFILE signings Richard Hibbard and Ross Moriarty could make a swift return to Kingsholm when the Dragons take on Gloucester in a pre-season friendly.

The Rodney Parade region will head to the west country on Thursday, August 23 (kick-off 7.30pm) in a tune-up for the Guinness PRO14.

Wales hooker Hibbard and back row forward Moriarty are making the switch from the Cherry and Whites in the summer while the Dragons are also mulling over a move for fly-half Owen Williams.

Head coach Bernard Jackman said: “We know that Gloucester are guaranteed to be a really good side and it’s a really good place to play.

“The match will set us up nicely for the start of the season whether we are home or away in the first round of the Guinness PRO14.

“We know that Johan Ackermann will want to recruit strongly for the coming season so it will be a really good opportunity to go and test ourselves against a tough opposition to finish off our pre-season preparations.”

The Dragons, who are recruiting heavily for next season, will hope to fare better in the summer of 2018 than they did last year.

Jackman's side lost heavily to Montpellier, Northampton, Exeter and Glasgow.

They have had mixed fortunes against the Cherry and Whites at Kingsholm, losing an Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final in 2011 and upsetting the odds in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals in 2016.

The last meeting between the sides was in last season's Anglo-Welsh Cup with Gloucester easing to a 24-13 home triumph.

The early announcement of the pre-season friendly was made by the Aviva Premiership side with the Dragons likely to announce more tune-ups after finishing the current campaign.