HARRI Keddie is yet to win a game away from Rodney Parade but the number eight is confident that history won’t repeat itself if the Dragons find themselves in a commanding position at Myreside on Friday.

The 21-year-old back row forward has made 23 regional appearances, 12 of them on the road without success.

That streak should have ended when he came off the bench at Edinburgh last season only for the Dragons to implode.

They lost their composure to see a 20-3 lead with 70 minutes on the clock turn into a 24-20 defeat, Scotland lock Grant Gilchrist sparking wild scenes among the home support and leaving Kingsley Jones’ side shell-shocked by powering over in time added on.

The Dragons, now under the stewardship of Bernard Jackman, return to the Scottish capital on Friday evening (kick-off 7.35pm) with Keddie confident that harsh lessons have been learnt.

“It’s one of those defeats that still annoys you now when you think about it,” admitted the former Wales Under-20s back row forward.

“We were in a really promising position with 10 minutes remaining and ended up losing and not really sure what had happened.

“But that was last year and we have a new set-up here now with new systems. Hopefully if we are in a position like that again it won’t be the same result and we will come away with the win.”

The Dragons were downed by Leinster in Newport on opening weekend and Keddie wants to take a leaf out of the title favourites’ book when travelling to face an Edinburgh side buoyed by an excellent 20-10 win at Cardiff Blues.

He said: “Edinburgh are in a new era under Richard Cockerill now and will want to lay down a marker in their first game but it’s up to us to almost do what Leinster did to us last weekend.

“Nullify that first 20/30 minutes when they will come at us all guns blazing and then we’ve just got to execute our correct game plan, doing what we have been coached to do and prepared for.”

Highly-rated Keddie, who was invited to train with Wales last autumn along with Dragons tighthead Leon Brown, played 21 times last season.

However, the number eight/blindside is set to play a more prominent role in 2017/18 with starts rather than cameos.

“It’s a massive year for me. Coming on for 10 or 15 minutes there is less time to make errors and you don’t get fatigued,” said Keddie.

“Now that I am playing 60,70, 80 minutes it’s a lot more demanding on my body and mentally I have to stay switched on for a longer period of time.

“And it was like a new job when I first started last year, so the more time you spend in and around the environment the more comfortable and relaxed you are with players and coaches.”

Keddie may even be asked for advice by a fellow former Caerleon RFC and Ebbw Vale youngster after Max Williams, 19, made his debut in the back row against Leinster.

“He’s a good player and is physical with the ability to fit in at 6 or the second row,” said Keddie. “Max has made the most of his opportunity with a belter of a pre-season.

“I know at Ebbw Vale they respect forwards who are honest and hard working. Max went up there last year and some of the older boys have been singing his praises.

“’[Tighthead] Robert Sevenoaks was saying he was impressed… and ‘Oaksy’ is a pretty grumpy bloke who doesn’t give out much praise, so that’s one of the highest honours you can have up there!

“There are good people to learn from at Ebbw Vale – Damien Hudd was really good with me when I was up there and I asked him for advice about mauls and stuff, because you are still fresh after age-grade rugby.

“It makes a massive difference to help with the development into regional rugby.”