Centre Adam Warren is hoping that Dragons will come back refreshed and with a positive mindset after an enforced spell away from Guinness PRO14 action.
Dragons travel to Italy to face Benetton Rugby this Sunday (kick-off 4pm UK time) for a first league game in four weeks.
The players have stepped up preparations this week after a two-week spell of self-isolation to halt any Covid-19 spread at the region.
And Warren is eager that the time away has seen the squad recharge the batteries ahead of a big spell of Guinness PRO14 and Champions Cup action in December.
“Everyone is excited to get back going,” said the 29-year-old. “Obviously the last few weeks has not been ideal, but now we are back in and building towards this game against Benetton. I think everyone is really ready to go.
“Hopefully the time away will make us refreshed, but you never know with little blocks like that,” he added.
“I think mentally everyone just used it as a little break for their body and came back with positive mindsets.
“We have trained at a gradual pace so we haven’t burnt ourselves out over the last few days.
“We’ve just built ourselves up ready so that we can perform, so hopefully it will be that refreshed feeling.”
Reflecting on the time away from training, Warren added: “Luckily the two weeks wasn’t too long, it was probably more tough mentally than physically.
“It was a mini-break for the body and then we came back in worked hard last week so I was ready for this week’s game.”
Dragons face a Benetton this weekend still smarting from a late loss to Ospreys as they conceded 14-points in the final ten minutes to lose to 14 men.
“Ospreys got a late win against them last week so we know they will be hurting after that,” said Warren.
“They are also normally a different animal a home. But we have looked at the footage and we think we have seen areas where we can go after them.
“We know that we can’t kick loosely to the likes of their wingers and we know that they have a good power game. “If we can stop that, and put what we want on the pitch, I’m sure we can fight for that result.”
The game in Italy is also another opportunity for Warren to stake his claim for a midfield spot, with Nick Tompkins currently away with Wales.
And the Carmarthen-born centre has revealed how he has looked to embrace the challenge for places this season and fight for a jersey.
“We have developed over the last few years, a lot of youngsters have come through and obviously the new boys have come in, the likes of Nick Tompkins and Jonah Holmes,” he said.
“Boys who were regulars before, like myself and a few of the wingers that would have played, have that competition and we are all hungry to play.
“It is the same as our back row. Our strength in depth is brilliant with players like (Aaron) Wainwright and Ross (Moriarty) going away, and then we have Ollie (Griffiths), who is playing out of his skin every week, Taine (Basham) and other young boys coming through like Ben (Fry).
“I definitely think we are building our strength in depth - we have just got to try and click as a group.
“From my perspective, obviously Nick (Tompkins) has come in and he’s done really well with Wales over the last year, so I knew when he arrived it was going to be really tough for competition.
“He had the nod in the first few games and with him going to Welsh camp I was hoping to get a good run and try and put my stamp on it - obviously the two weeks off does disrupt that.
“I work hard week in, week out so I’d like to think if I can get a good game or two under my belt when he does come back we can keep pushing each other. Then we can both be the best we can be and whoever gets the nod is in the best place possible.
“It is great to play alongside the likes of Nick and Jamie (Roberts) and learn off them, challenge them and better yourself.
“It’s about the team. You need competition and you need to be pushing each other.”
They are normally a different animal a home... But we have looked at the footage and we think we have seen areas where we can go after them...
