BOSS Bernard Jackman says the Dragons owe their supporters a winning send-off in their last Rodney Parade game of the season against the Cheetahs tonight.

The region are hunting a first Guinness PRO14 success since September when they entertain the South African play-off hopefuls (kick-off 7.35pm).

They head into the game on the back of home losses to Benetton and Edinburgh and an embarrassing 45-13 thrashing by the previously winless Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.

It has been a miserable league campaign for the Dragons featuring just two wins and Jackman knows that they must provide some cheer for their long-suffering fans this evening.

"It's really important, particularly given the way that we played against Edinburgh and the Kings," said the head coach.

"It's important we show some character and I am looking forward to seeing that.

"We are putting the building blocks in place [for next season] but we want to finish in our last game at Rodney Parade with a performance that we can be proud of and that our fans can be proud of."

The Dragons are on a 12-game run without a win in the PRO14 and face a Cheetahs side who have thrived in their first season in Europe.

They are in third place in Conference A and looking good for the play-offs thanks to their record of nine wins from 17 games.

The Cheetahs are stronger in Bloemfontein but have already won away to Zebre and the Kings and left Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys with losing bonuses.

"They were more expansive in Super Rugby but I think they are starting to adapt to PRO14," said Jackman. "Away from home they kick a lot more, have a decent scrum and use their set piece.

"They have evolved whereas the Kings have continued their crazy, ambitious, wide-wide game and going from deep.

"The Cheetahs have more balance and when they go away from home they tend to play more European-style rugby. They have some dangerous players and we have to make sure our basics are right.

"What was disappointing against the Kings was that our set piece didn't fire. All season our scrum have been decent and our maul has been a weapon, but we didn't get any change out of that, which gave a lift to the them and dented our confidence.

"For us it's important that we lay down a marker against the Cheetahs and we'd like to think that there are areas of our game that can challenge them.

"We didn't put our stamp on the game against the Kings. We are looking to rectify that and make sure that there is a reaction."

The Dragons have won just two league games all season and need a pair of successes to at least match their lowest tally in a campaign, a horror figure of four that they managed in the last two campaigns.

The Cheetahs game is followed by away fixtures with Benetton and Zebre then a Judgement Day finale versus the Scarlets.

l Lewis Evans column and team news on page 37