With a raft of players unavailable, Dragons must prove their squad is deep enough to take on Zebre in the United Rugby Championship.
Dragons are about to find out how deep their squad really runs. With a large group of players unavailable because of Wales calls, the region heads into its United Rugby Championship meeting with Zebre needing others to step up.
These moments define a club's season. Every URC side has to cope with international demands, and the teams that stay competitive are usually those whose second-choice players can slot in without the team losing its shape. Dragons now have to show they are one of them.
Zebre will see an opening. A depleted opponent can mean a chance to land a statement result, and the Italian side will fancy testing a Dragons group missing some of its familiar names. That puts pressure on the fringe players, who now have a rare chance to make a claim for regular starts.
For Dragons, the game is about more than the result. A strong showing without their absentees would prove their depth and give the coaching staff a lot to think about when everyone is available again.
