Newport Gwent Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones has challenged his side to show they have the stomach for the fight when they face Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12.

The Dragons’ fixture will be the second of two Welsh derbies during the Judgement Day extravaganza at the Millennium Stadium.

Newport Gwent Dragons go into the game without a win in their last five matches since their defeat of Glasgow in the RaboDirect PRO12 at Rodney Parade on February 23.

And Jones admits he has been particularly frustrated by the way his side have allowed their heads to drop once they go behind – something that must not happen against Ospreys.

He said: “This is a great opportunity to get back to the standards of the start of the season and to demonstrate how good we can be.

“The Ospreys have a lot of very good players and it’s down to the players to respond against the best Welsh region.

“There is so much good about our game but we gifted Treviso 45 points last weekend and there is a culture here that when you go behind that’s it.

“We have been working hard all season to change that but have slipped back into having negative thoughts recently and that’s not good enough. We need to change the way that people go about their business.”

Dragons have played only once at the Millennium Stadium before, losing 20-28 to Scarlets in last season’s double header.

Ospreys have won two of their last three matches and have been victorious in their last 13 PRO12 encounters against fellow Welsh Regions.

Ospreys have won on all three occasions they have visited Millennium Stadium, twice in Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-finals and 23-16 over Cardiff Blues in this event last year.

Ospreys have won their last four PRO12 encounters with Dragons since the Men from Gwent’s 22-20 victory at Rodney Parade in January 2012.

Fly-half Kris Burton returns for the Dragons in place of Jason Tovey with Hallam Amos moving from wing to full-back and Will Harries taking his place on the wing.

T. Rhys Thomas returns from injury to play alongside Phil Price and tight head prop Duncan Bell in the front row.

Ospreys have named Lions prop Adam Jones as a replacement with Ryan Jones continuing in the second row and Justin Tipuric starting despite reports he may require shoulder surgery this summer.

The region gained a vital win against Leinster last weekend to keep alive their play-off hopes and head coach Steve Tandy wants more of the same.

“We picked up a crucial win at the Liberty last Friday, against Leinster, but the reality of our position means that we have to hit those standards again on Sunday against the Dragons and then twice more again over the final few weeks of the season,” said Tandy.

“We know that our play-off destiny is out of our hands but that doesn’t mean that we won’t be giving it everything to try and put pressure on the teams above us.

“We have to do that, we have to make sure that if one of them slip-up, we are in a position to take full advantage. With some of the key games coming up featuring the top teams playing each other, points will be dropped, that’s inevitable.

“In terms of the Ospreys, whatever the outcome over the next few weeks it is crucial that we keep building momentum on and off the pitch.

“I keep saying it, but there is no going away from the fact that we have a young group of players, and there is some exciting talent coming through the ranks who are getting some invaluable experience at the top end of the game.”

At Millennium Stadium, 4.45pm. Live on S4C
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 109th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy, Jon Mason (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Dennis Jones (WRU)
TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU)