IT must be a strange feeling to have already lost your tag as the new kid on the block at the age of 21 but Newport Gwent Dragons flanker James Benjamin is already trying to keep ahead of a fellow young gun in the pecking order.

The back row forward from Rogerstone has enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Rodney Parade region, making 10 appearances and impressing with his energy, ball-playing skills and maturity.

Yet the performances of 20-year-old Ollie Griffiths for Wales in the Under-20s Six Nations have already led to many tipping him to be heir to the throne at 7.

The Newport captain, who has made four cameos off the bench for the Dragons this season, is set to feature in the Guinness Pro12 encounter at Treviso on Saturday (kick-off 7.30pm).

But so is Benjamin who, along with fellow burgeoning back row forward Scott Matthews, got the nod ahead of Griffiths for last summer's Junior World Championship in New Zealand.

"We are three young opensides fighting for one spot with Nic Cudd, who is a Dragons stalwart," said Benjamin, who played number eight for the Under-20s and is also comfortable at blindside.

"We are all trying to push each other on and we are all really good mates off the pitch and enjoying it. You just have to worry about yourself and get on with trying to take your opportunities, put your game together and put in some good performances."

Benjamin has played in four of the Dragons' last six games and was to the fore in the morale-boosting 26-22 win against title hopefuls Ulster a fortnight ago.

The flanker is growing with experience, saying: "I feel more confident in my ability to adapt to different situations on the pitch, whether the game open or tight.

"The physicality goes up (at regional level) and you are playing against guys who have played hundreds of professional games and have seen it all before. You just have to bring yourself up to that level and perform."

On that front, after going up against the huge figures of London Welsh's Opeti Fonua and Ulster's Nick Williams, Benjamin is ahead of Griffiths.

And director of rugby Lyn Jones has called for patience when it comes to the Under-20s starlet, who earned glowing praise from Wales openside icon Martyn Williams.

"We are not getting carried away," said Jones. "We have known Ollie for a year and he has been quite impressive in training, as has James Benjamin and other players.

"The Under-20s is a nice competition but is still a country mile away from regional standard. What was important throughout the competition was that Ollie was a standout performer but also a consistent performer.

"He has played for us this year and in his little cameos were impressive and we will probably include him this weekend to see if he can replicate that."

- The Dragons' final game of the season against Munster in Cork will be played on Saturday, May 16 (kick-off 3pm).

All Pro12 games will kick off simultaneously with the hosts set to be in contention for the playoffs.

The round 21 clash with Edinburgh at Rodney Parade on the weekend of May 8 will be confirmed next week after a broadcasters meeting.