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HOME COMFORTS: The Dragons open their Magners League campaign against Glasgow who won at Rodney Parade last season

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons head coach Paul Turner has admitted the pressure will be on his new-look side to make a flying start after the Magners League fixture computer presented them with back-to-back games at Rodney Parade.

Glasgow Warriors, who have been drawn in the Dragons' Heineken Cup group, head to Newport on the weekend of September 5 before Llanelli Scarlets travel east in midweek.

A frantic opening pre-EDF Energy Cup stretch is completed with tough trips to Cork and Belfast to face Munster and Belfast respectively before Edinburgh head to Wales.

The Rodney Parade faithful won't have to wait long to get a glimpse at new Kiwi signings Tom Willis, Grant Webb and James Arlidge And Turner is looking for a better start on their own patch than last season when both Cardiff Blues and Munster left with the spoils while the World Cup was going on.

"It's good to start at home and it does put the pressure on us to make a good start," he said.

"Three games in ten days will be difficult but we have brought in plenty of new faces and it will be an early test of the squad.

"A winning start is important because those victories build up momentum and breed confidence. It's a whole new challenge this season and getting on a roll is crucial.

"They boys are working hard at the moment and it will be nice to get going at Rodney Parade, and also for the new boys to get a taste of the atmosphere."

Last season the Dragons started with a stunning victory at Llanelli Scarlets - the region's first win at Stradey Park and likely to be their last as they are scheduled to play Nigel Davies' side in the new year when the move to their new ground has been completed.

The clash at Parc y Scarlets ends a festive Welsh derby hat trick with the Ospreys and the Blues having headed to Rodney Parade either side of Christmas.

The Dragons are scheduled to finish the campaign with a repeat of their final game of 2007-8 and will be looking to send champions Leinster packing in similar fashion.

5/6/7 September

Cardiff Blues v Leinster

Connacht v Ospreys

Dragons v Glasgow Warriors Edinburgh v Munster

Ulster v Llanelli Scarlets

9/10 September

Dragons v Llanelli Scarlets

Ospreys v Cardiff Blues

12/13/14 September

Cardiff Blues v Ulster

Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys

Leinster v Edinburgh

Llanelli Scarlets v Connacht

Munster v Dragons

19/20/21 September

Connacht v Glasgow Warriors

Edinburgh v Llanelli Scarlets

Leinster v Ospreys

Munster v Cardiff Blues

Ulster v Dragons

26/27/28 September

Cardiff Blues v Connacht

Dragons v Edinburgh

Glasgow Warriors v Llanelli Scarlets

Leinster v Munster

Ospreys v Ulster

3/4/5 October

Connacht v Leinster

Munster v Glasgow Warriors

Ulster v Edinburgh

24/25/26 October

Connacht v Edinburgh

Glasgow Warriors v Leinster

Ulster v Munster

28/29/30 November

Edinburgh v Ospreys

Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues

Leinster v Dragons

Munster v Llanelli Scarlets

Ulster v Connacht

19/20/21 December

Dragons v Ospreys

Llanelli Scarlets v Cardiff Blues

26/27/28 December

Connacht v Munster

Dragons v Cardiff Blues

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors

Ospreys v Llanelli Scarlets

Ulster v Leinster

2/3/4 January

Cardiff Blues v Ospreys

Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh

Leinster v Connacht

2/3/4 January

Llanelli Scarlets v Dragons

Munster v Ulster

9/10/11 January

Connacht v Llanelli Scarlets

Edinburgh v Ulster

Glasgow v Dragons

Leinster v Cardiff Blues

Ospreys v Munster

20/21/22 February

Cardiff v Glasgow

Dragons v Ulster

Llanelli Scarlets v Leinster

Munster v Edinburgh

Ospreys v Connacht

6/7/8 March

Connacht v Cardiff Blues

Dragons v Munster

Llanelli Scarlets v Edinburgh

Ospreys v Leinster

Ulster v Glasgow

27/28/29 March

Cardiff Blues v Llanelli Scarlets

Edinburgh v Connacht

Glasgow v Munster

Leinster v Ulster

Ospreys v Dragons

3/4/5 April

Connacht v Dragons

Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues

Llanelli Scarlets v Glasgow

Munster v Leinster

Ulster v Ospreys

17/18/19 April

Cardiff Blues v Dragons

Edinburgh v Leinster

Glasgow v Ulster

Llanelli Scarlets v Ospreys

Munster v Connacht

24/25/26 April

Dragons v Connacht

Leinster v Glasgow

Llanelli Scarlets v Munster

Ospreys v Edinburgh

Ulster v Cardiff Blues

8/9/10 May

Cardiff Blues v Munster

Connacht v Ulster

Edinburgh v Dragons

Leinster v Llanelli Scarlets

Ospreys v Glasgow

15/16/17 May

Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh

Dragons v Leinster

Glasgow v Connacht

Llanelli Scarlets v Ulster Munster v Ospreys

11:34am Wednesday 16th July 2008

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