NEWPORT Gwent Dragons will leave fitness calls on back row pair Taulupe Faletau and Ed Jackson to the last minute in the hope they will be fit to lead their shot at redemption in Edinburgh on Friday.

The pair missed last Saturday's European Rugby Challenge Cup thriller in Castres with Jackson's late withdrawal with a hip injury meaning that South African lock Rynard Landman had to fill in as an emergency number eight.

With back rowers Lewis Evans (calf), James Thomas (back) and Andrew Coombs (knee) currently sidelined, fingers are crossed that Faletau (knee), Jackson or both will get the green light for the Guinness Pro12 encounter at Murrayfield.

"It caught us cold having to play Rynard at number eight," admitted director of rugby Lyn Jones. "Ed and Toby are 50/50 for Friday but we will take them both up to Edinburgh in the hope that they will be ready."

The Dragons head north on the back of a spirited showing in a 32-29 defeat at the Stade Pierre Antoine, earning a losing bonus to go with their five-point haul in their opening weekend 30-12 success against Sale.

The hope is that their European exploits will lead to a chance of fortunes in the Pro12 after managing just two home wins against the Italian pair of Treviso and Zebre.

And the ninth-placed Dragons will be fuelled by their hugely disappointing last trip to the Scottish capital when given a 45-16 Challenge Cup semi-final tonking by Edinburgh.

"We just didn't perform up there," said Jones. "It was a tough night for us but we bounced back a few weeks later (a 19-5 Rodney Parade win against Edinburgh in the Pro12) and that shows that we can play against them.

"It was a great game of rugby at Castres but we were devastated to have lost after giving ourselves the chance to repeat last year's win at Stade Francais.

"However, the standard of performance was pleasing and, after a tricky start to the season, if we maintain those standards it's a matter of time before we are consistently winning.

"Edinburgh presents a different challenge up front. They enjoy the rough and tumble so we will have to try and drag them into a game of rugby."

The Scots won their Challenge Cup encounters with Grenoble and Agen – successes built on a strong scrum provided by the Scotland trio of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel – but are on a three-game Pro12 losing streak.