WINGER Ashton Hewitt hopes to help Newport Gwent Dragons show their cutting edge in Dublin this afternoon.

The Dragons need to improve on their last Guinness Pro12 outing when they take on Leinster at the Royal Dublin Society (kick-off 2.30pm)

They laboured to a 13-0 victory against Zebre at Rodney Parade on September 11, missing out on a bonus point after botching a series of openings.

"Our execution has been a big focus after the Zebre game," admitted Hewitt. "As (backs coach) Shaun Connor said, if we weren't creating opportunities it would be a worry.

"But there's individual responsibility to look after the ball and we have to finish them off because every point will count at Leinster.

"It's going to be a tough game and they have some big outside backs with good high-ball skills. They try isolating the wingers a lot so that has been a big focus for me.

"We won there last season so we go there with confidence. The kicking game was a big positive for us last year, keeping the pressure on them, and we need to do the same again.

"It won't be all kick, kick, kick but it's an important part of the game and we need to win the territorial battle."

The Dragons have endured a long wait to get the frustrating performance against Zebre out of their system.

A planned friendly with Bristol was called off when the English Championship side suffered injury problems but the Dragons management have kept their charges on their toes.

"We've been training hard with a couple of hit-outs against each other to make sure we keep our wits about us and have that edge," said Hewitt.

"Going flat out in training is a chance to put your hand up and you don't want two weeks of nothing. We haven't been going crazy, just making sure we don't drop off for this game."

Director of rugby Lyn Jones makes five changes to the side that spluttered when winning 13-0 against Zebre on September 11 with full-back Carl Meyer, hooker Hugh Gustafson, lock Nick Crosswell and flankers James Thomas and James Benjamin getting the nod.

The Dragons did the double over Leinster last season by recording a surprise 16-14 succes at the Royal Dublin Society – their first ever win in the Irish capital – and then triumphing 25-22 at Rodney Parade.

"I suppose you have more respect for them," said Leinster flanker Dominic Ryan."You also have a bit more venom in that you want to owe them one having being beaten twice by them last season.

"The home game hurt quite a bit, you know. We pride ourselves on winning at the RDS and we lost to the Dragons, who at the time were quite below us."

Leinster: I Nacewa (captain), F McFadden, B Te'o, N reid, G Ringrose, C Marsh, I Boss, M Bent, A Dundon, M Moore, R Molony, M McCarthy, D Ryan, J van der Flier, J Conan. Replacements: J Tracy, P Dooley, J Hagan, R Ruddock, D Leavy, L McGrath, R Byrne, C Kelleher

Dragons: C Meyer, A Hewitt, R Wardle, A Warren, T Prydie, J Tovey, S Pretorius, B Stankovich, H Gustafson, B Harris, N Crosswell, R Landman (captain), J Thomas, J Benjamin, E Jackson. Replacements: E Dee, P Price, S Knight, M Screech, N Cudd, L Jones, A O'Brien, A Brew.

Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)