NICK Crosswell has declared that a different Newport Gwent Dragons will turn out for a big date with Munster this evening to the one that stuttered to success against Zebre.

The Dragons will be looking to win back-to-back Guinness Pro12 games for the first time since April 2015 when they welcome the Irish province to Rodney Parade (kick-off 5.15pm).

They head into the fixture after a much-needed win against Zebre, albeit the four points didn't come with a dazzling performance.

Kingsley Jones' side won 11-6, scored just one try and committed a catalogue of errors in promising positions, much to the frustration of the crowd in Newport.

Lock Crosswell believes an encounter with Munster is an ideal opportunity to prove their credentials.

"Having Munster at home is perfect for us after Zebre and we've got a team that is more than capable of beating them," said the New Zealander.

"It's exciting, Munster are a quality side and will bring it to us but I've got no doubt that the boys will be up for this and you will see a different outfit to last week.

"When your back is against the wall you've got to go out fighting. Our backs are against the wall, we aren't favourites and we've got to throw everything at them.

"We have got some good structure to our game now and good structure done well can expose them. We need to hold those passes, build pressure and phases to result in points."

Crosswell will be in the thick of the action as the Dragons attempt to quell Munster's suffocating power game.

The lock has pledged the pack will "roll our sleeves up" and hopes that the hosts are able to demonstrate this season's intended more expansive approach.

"We went into the Zebre game with the right intent and for big parts of it we played great rugby that was all undone by silly offloads or handling errors," he said.

"It's getting the balance of our game right and in the past we have either been too direct or at times we have been flinging it everywhere.

"We need to ask questions of them around the ruck but when it's on hopefully we will pull the trigger and release the ball to our exciting backs."

That the versatile 30-year-old has featured as a lock rather than blindside this season is an indication of the Dragons intent to play a wide game.

"I am just happy to be out there and I'll play wherever, I've always been a fairly tight loose forward anyway," said the Kiwi, who played Super Rugby with the Hurricanes, Highlanders and Chiefs.

"The game is getting quicker and over the last year or so it seems to have been more expansive with more ball moved around, so maybe coaches are thinking of getting rid of the massive locks and going for more mobile ones."