DRAGONS boss Bernard Jackman knows the important of making a fast start to the Guinness PRO14 if they are to keep the backing of the loyal Rodney Parade faithful.

The region get their season under way with a home clash against Benetton tonight (kick-off 7.35pm), the first of three Newport dates in September.

The Dragons will field 12 internationals in their XV against the Italians and head coach Jackman knows that expectations are high.

The former Ireland hooker is keen to reward the long-suffering fans after their side won just two PRO14 games last season.

"The supporters have been brilliant and hopefully we give them something to shout about this year and don't disappoint them," said Jackman.

"That's on our minds and we have got a cracking opportunity with two home games to start and we want to maximise our chance of getting as many points as we can out of those fixtures.

"The Dragons fans are ridiculously supportive, loud and one-eyed to a certain extent! We want to tap into that, but we have to get the product right with our skill level, gameplan and intensity.

"The supporters are waiting for something to cling onto. It would be exciting to have a winning team on a regular basis at Rodney Parade, to see how much support there really is in the region for winning rugby. Other teams have tested that but we haven't."

Jackman brought in 14 new players over the summer with eight of them making their debuts on opening weekend against a Benetton side that doubled them last season.

"We want to hit the ground running, it's a new team and it's a rush to get everyone on the same page but it's gone well," said the head coach, who is without suspended stellar signing Ross Moriarty.

"We know that Treviso are flying high after winning 50 per cent of their games last year and have been very impressive in pre-season against Worcester, Leicester and Zebre.

"They have been able to do what Italian teams have struggled to do over the years by winning away from home.

"We are under no illusions that it is going to be a tough game because they are very physical and big up front, so we have to deal with that and impose our style of play."

The Dragons still have a budget that lags behind their rivals but Jackman is confident that they will make strides this season.

"We have a really good chance of changing our history. We didn't have success last year, or going back three or four years," he said.

"There hasn't been enough ambition around the team but we have a lot of youngsters from this region who have stayed here through think and thin, who are talented and passionate about it.

"For us it's about getting a bit of respect and becoming a team that is hard to beat. Once you are hard to beat you will win a hell of a lot more games.

"We want it to be so that when people see that they are playing against the Dragons, they don't look forward to it anymore. That sounds basic but it's a good starting point."