Newport Gwent Dragons wing Hallam Amos admits he cannot wait for the ultimate Boxing Day test up against opposite number Alex Cuthbert as Cardiff Blues travel to Rodney Parade for an all-Wales clash.

The first of a festive double-header, both sides are in need of a pick-me-up to turn around their stuttering RaboDirect PRO12 form.

The Welsh regions have only won one of their last five RaboDirect PRO12 encounters – Dragons’ triumph coming against Glasgow Warriors in Round 8, while the Blues secured victory in Round 7 over Benetton Treviso.

In further ominous news for Lyn Jones’ men, the Dragons have won just once in their last nine outings against fellow Welsh sides in the tournament.

However, they are boosted by the return of bruising back-row Netani Talei, and T.Rhys Thomas also gets his first start since recovering from injury.

Wayne Evans has the nod at scrum-half while inside centre Ashley Smith and tight-head Nathan Buck have been drafted into the starting line-up.

And though a star-studded team including Wales star Cuthbert is set to rock up at Rodney Parade, Amos insists he is undaunted by the occasion and is determined to get his team back on track.

“It will be a good challenge,” Amos told Wales Online. “I like pitting myself against the best and he (Cuthbert) is a Lions try-scoring Test winger and one of the best in the world, so it will be nice to see how I go against him.

“Hopefully I can stop him getting on the scoresheet. He does pop up with quite a few tries.

“(Derbies) are always huge games and two in quick succession kind of adds to it a bit.

“You are looking at the first game, but then there’s another game. I think it’s something we are really looking forward to as a squad. It will be a huge challenge.

“Hopefully we can get some big crowds and put on a show for them.

“The first one is at Rodney. Hopefully we can get a good win and then follow it up a week later down the Arms Park.”

The Blues will need to banish unwanted records from the history books as well, having failed to win away from home in the RaboDirect PRO12 since a February win over Edinburgh.

They did however draw with Treviso on their last away day and have made six changes from their defeat against Ospreys, Rhys Patchell and Chris Dicomidis having shaken off injuries.

There are also starts for backs Gavin Evans and Dan Fish while Macauley Cook and Josh Navidi form the partnership at flanker.

And with last week’s tight 22-19 defeat to Ospreys fresh on their minds, director of rugby Phil Davies insists his Blues side could not be more motivated for another derby.

“It's going to be absolutely fantastic,” said Davies. “It's a great place to go and the atmosphere will be electric, the fans will be bouncing off the ceiling there.

“Lyn is doing a great job and they are in good form. We are playing well too and have had some results, we want to go there and continue that.

“It's going to be a great derby, I'm sure it will be a fantastic occasion, and we are all looking forward to it as we look to get back on the horse.

“There was a lot of frustration in the dressing room after the Ospreys game. We played well but didn't quite put the nails in the box when we needed to.

“Dragons are highly organised and highly committed. With the crowd there too, we can expect massive intensity in the game.

“There have been a few really intense games of late and that maybe the most intense we have had for a while.”

At Rodney Parade, 5pm.
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 13th Competition game)
Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessey, Jon Mason (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)
TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU)

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