OPPORTUNITY knocks for Newport Gwent Dragons prop Phil Price tonight when the loosehead locks horns with a powerful Bucharest pack.

The 26-year-old starts against the Wolves in the European Rugby Challenge Cup and will attempt to prove he is the man to deputise for the injured Boris Stankovich.

The experienced former Leicester man has been sidelined for a month with a knee problem that has the medical staff baffled and unable to give an estimated return date.

That means that Price, who missed the start of the season after a summer foot operation, can show he is the man to don the number 1 jersey.

Games against European minnows often leave players with plenty to lose and nothing to gain but that isn't the case for the Dragons pack against Bucharest.

The Wolves are strong up front and had the upper hand at the scrum in Romania last weekend despite going down 37-10.

"Bucharest do have an impressive scrum but hopefully we will be switched on to hat they will bring because they did wheel it around quite a lot last week, " said Price, whose injury forced him to miss the end-of-season Wales probables versus possibles trial match.

"We have got to make the referee aware of that and just focus on our own game, keeping the scrum square and tight on our own ball.

"Bucharest are a big threat up front and all they want to do is have driving mauls and scrums. Out there when they got in our 22 their intent was just to play off their nine and to pick-and-go.

"They are physical up front and there are some big lads in their side but hopefully our fitness and game awareness will pull us through. We have to meet them head on."

Price has come off the bench in the last two games to replace new South African recruit Brok Harris. The 29-year-old former Stormers prop has endured some tough times at the set piece but returns to tighthead for this evening's encounter.

Director of rugby Lyn Jones: "Brok is a very good player who is equally adept at both 1 and 3 but we brought him over primarily as a 3.

"He is a very accomplished performer and we are delighted with the way that he has settled in and the positive attitude that he has.

"To be successful throughout the year you need a group of props who understand the need to share the workload in order to stay fresh."