FLY-HALF Jason Tovey is hunting a Dragons deal for next season and intends to stake his claim by helping the region finish the PRO14 with a flourish, whether as starter or finisher.
The 29-year-old returned for a third spell at Rodney Parade when he signed on a short-term deal to cover an injury crisis in October.
Tovey was initially on permit from Cross Keys, who he joined from Edinburgh last summer, but signed a contract until the end of the season in January.
The left-footer has made 12 appearances, eight of them starts, and of late has shared the 10 jersey with Josh Lewis.
Just like Dan Biggar thrived with Wales when backing up Gareth Anscombe in Wales' Grand Slam, the duo are happy to play their part whether in the 10 or 22 jersey.
"It's quite nice, we're good friends, we get on with each other and we're always competing with each other in training, whether it's goal-kicking or out of hand," said Tovey.
"It's good, friendly competition and whoever starts, we'll both give the same for the jersey. If I come on for the last 15 minutes or Josh does we will give our all.
"There are no problems, we get on with each other and we look to see how we can improve the team."
After being without a fixture this weekend the pair are set to pull the strings when the Dragons return to Guinness PRO14 action with a double-header in South Africa.
They travel to the Kings and Cheetahs aiming to end the nightmare league losing streak on the road that goes back to March, 2015.
Last weekend the Dragons led 17-10 at half-time against the Ospreys only to go down 29-20 in Swansea, their 42nd straight defeat.
On paper, the clashes with the Kings, one point above them at the bottom of Conference B, and Cheetahs, second from last in Conference A, are golden opportunities to end the hoodoo.
However, last season's 45-13 humiliation against the Kings in Port Elizabeth means the Dragons travel with their eyes wide open.
"It'll be two tough games out there," said Tovey. "It's going to be warm and a fast track, but we're looking forward to it and just need to knuckle down and keep working hard in training.
"We know how dangerous the Kings are from watching them throughout the season and they're much-improved from last season.
"Make no bones about it, we need to go out there and be switched on for 80 minutes and not 50 or it will be another long day."
Tovey is the Dragons' record points scorer and hit four figures at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, the ground where he opened his account in April, 2008.
The fly-half had been stuck within striking distance of the 1,000 milestone since bagging 14 points against Timisoara Saracens at the start of January.
Tovey said: "It was probably eight games later than I'd have wanted it! Individually it was nice to get it and it would have been nice to have done it on a winning side, so there's that disappointment to it."
The Dragons are battling with the Kings to avoid being Conference B's bottom club while they only have a one-point lead over Zebre, who prop up A.
Since returning for a third spell at the Dragons, Tovey has experienced the high of kicking the winner in the December derby against the Ospreys in Newport but they have registered just one bonus point from six games in 2019.
“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster and obviously this season hasn’t gone as we’d have liked, but we’ve just got to roll our sleeves up and get on with it," said Tovey.
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