WALES and Lions fly-half Dan Biggar is relishing the chance to lock horns with his predecessor Gavin Henson in Friday's Guinness PRO14 derby between the Ospreys and the Dragons.

Henson spent six seasons at the Liberty Stadium, the fly-half/centre winning two titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup before leaving for Saracens in 2009.

Biggar was coming through the Ospreys academy when the 35-year-old was plying his trade out west and was inspired by the double Grand Slam winner.

"When I was coming through, playing alongside Gav or watching him train you'd just think he was the best at everything," said Biggar to BBC Wales.

"I've never actually played against Gav, so if selected and if Gav's playing it will be really good to test your wits against a world class player."

Henson has spent the past two weeks on the bench as Angus O'Brien's back-up in the European Challenge Cup, staying on the bench in the narrow loss in Newcastle and playing the closing stages in the win against Enisei-STM in Moscow.

However, the former Wales and Lions playmaker has made an impressive start to life at Rodney Parade in the PRO14 with Biggar hailing his calming influence on the Dragons' burgeoning backs.

"There's very few players as naturally gifted as him out there so he's going to be a massive threat. He sort of just glides around the field and puts his team in the right area," he said.

"He looks as if he's got quite a bit of time on the ball. I watched the first half of the Blues game a couple of weeks ago and he showed some really nice touches and was able to bring people into play around him.

"And given that the Dragons have got quite a young set-up in terms of the team there and he probably gives a lot of confidence to others.

"They just need maybe that sort of focal point of someone who's been there and done it - and Gav's certainly got that that.

"What he does really well is he doesn't try and overdo the game, doesn't try and force things and plays within himself which is a very good attribute to have."

The Dragons head to Swansea on the back of a hard-earned win in Russia that ended an 18-month drought away from Rodney Parade in all competitions.

The Ospreys, meanwhile, are in unfamiliar territory with Wales' traditional standard bearers on a seven-game losing streak, although they emerged with huge credit from a titanic tussle with European champions Saracens last Saturday.

"They are going to come down and they are going to fancy themselves as well in terms of they're going to think it's an opportunity for them," said Biggar, who leaves for Northampton at the end of the season.

"For us Friday is about fronting up and making life as uncomfortable as possible for the Dragons.

"We have to win to build some confidence back into the group and make sure it's a winning camp as opposed to taps on the back for playing well but coming up short."

Ospreys number eight Dan Baker is out for the rest of the season after damaging knee ligaments in the Champions Cup opener against Clermont Auvergne.

Wales openside Justin Tipuric will miss the clash with the Dragons because of a thigh strain – meaning Brynmawr's Sam Cross is in line to make his PRO14 debut – while centre Kieron Fonotia and wing Jeff Hassler are going through the head injury assessment protocols.