A GLUT of Wales hopefuls will lock horns in the back row at Rodney Parade on Saturday but Dragons flanker Ollie Griffiths insists he won't allow himself to be distracted by talk of a Test audition.

Warren Gatland has been at the Dragons' training base in Ystrad Mynach over the past fortnight to assist defence coach Hendre Marnitz.

The Wales head honcho can't have failed to notice the fine start to the season made by Griffiths, whose sole cap came while Gatland was on Lions duty.

Caretaker boss Robin McBryde was holding the reins when he gave the 23-year-old from Newbridge a meagre two minutes off the bench against Tonga in Auckland in June 2017.

If Griffiths can maintain his fine early season form in Saturday's derby against Cardiff Blues – and potentially in direct opposition with openside Ellis Jenkins – then he will move a step towards being involved in an autumn squad for the first time and adding to his cap.

Gatland has a wealth of options for his group to face Scotland, Australia, Tonga and South Africa with leading candidates keen to impress in Newport; Griffiths will be joined by Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainwright against a visiting trio likely to include Jenkins and Josh Navidi.

"It's a massive game and everyone will be looking at it, especially with the selection in a few weeks," admitted Griffiths.

"But I don't want to get caught up in that too much, I just want to play well and see what happens.

"Whenever I play against someone like Ellis or James Davies, you know they are great players who are great over the ball, but you try not to think about the individual battle too much because then you lose focus of the bigger picture and the things that you have gone through in training.

"I just have to play my normal game and hopefully negate his strengths, which is jackalling over the ball along with Josh Navidi and Nick Williams."

Sam Warburton's retirement has opened up a slot in the Wales back row and the contest will be fierce in World Cup year, with Taulupe Faletau the only shoo-in.

"It's always been difficult," said Griffiths, whose hopes of building on his Tonga cap were crushed by jaw, ankle and hip injuries last season.

"Look at the back row that Wales have been able to pick over the last few years, there is so much competition. James Davies got his caps last season, Ellis has played really well and Navidi was exceptional in the autumn.

"There is a lot of competition but fingers crossed I can push on and be in there. I just need to be playing well here, all I can do is put my best foot forward and play the best rugby I can.

"The squad that gets picked is out of my control, I just have to play well and see what happens."

A winning Dragons side would help the prospects of their Wales hopefuls and a first derby success since Boxing Day, 2014 would be a start towards changing perceptions about the region.

"It would be massive," said Griffiths, who has never experienced a league win against Welsh rivals. "We have been pretty decent at home but the derbies are the ones that the fans care about the most, especially Cardiff Blues.

"It will be a great atmosphere and it is a big game for us. There is that extra edge, a few of the boys have played for Cardiff Blues and a lot of us are friends with their players.

"There is an extra edge in training, an extra edge on game day; derbies are massive and this is one of the biggest games of the season, if not the biggest."