Dragons TV sat down with prop Mesake Doge this week ahead of Saturday’s derby day clash with Welsh rivals Cardiff Rugby at the Arms Park (kick-off 5:15pm).
The powerful Fijian international joined the region from Brive in France over the summer and has impressed in Dragons colours to date, starting all four United Rugby Championship league games.
Doge, who will line up against Cardiff for the first time, is backing the Men of Gwent to finally end their mini winless run against their rivals.
And the 28-year-old is expecting a tough contest in the capital but admits games like this is what players live for in professional rugby.
“It’s going to be a pretty exciting game - Cardiff and Newport are not far off from each other it’s a derby for sure,” said Doge.
“These kind of games are what we all live for, I think when we wake up in the morning we get excited as rugby players because of these pressure type games.
“You get to express yourself and fight for that turf and I know Cardiff won’t be an easy game but I see the boys here training and we are really putting in quality work and effort.
“Going out there to share the field with them and going up against Cardiff is going to be something great this Saturday.”
The Nadroga-born front row continued: “It’s going to be pretty fast though, coming over here to welsh rugby, European rugby it is something I have learnt that it is going to be fast and it is going to be tough.
“We just need to keep composed as a team, stick to our systems and going up against them they are going to be pretty confident around the set-piece.
“We need to be prepared for that around that area and it’s going to be a tough game but one we are all excited for.”
Watch Doge full interview with Dragons TV below as we look ahead to the derby day clash with Cardiff Rugby.
