BROK Harris says Newport Gwent Dragons need to find a fast fix for their problems so that they can end their Guinness Pro12 derby drought against the Ospreys.

The Dragons welcome the west Walians to Rodney Parade on New Year's Day and head into the game on the back of a frustrating 27-16 Boxing Day defeat at Cardiff Blues.

They have now lost their last 12 league encounters with Welsh rivals and have had little time to make big changes ahead of their meeting with the title-chasing Liberty Stadium side.

"It's a short turnaround and there a lot to work on after the performance at Cardiff Blues, especially exiting our 22 and our driving mauls," said the South African prop.

"We need to put it right now and we will be up for it back at home. It's another big one and the Ospreys are a good team so we need to be much better than Boxing Day.

"It's going to be a hard game and they are a well-balanced team between backs and forwards with a good kicking game, but we've got to focus on ourselves and not so much on them.

"We have to control what we can control and we have been having a good time at Rodney Parade and want to build on that."

Harris, who had been troubled by a hamstring injury, came off the bench at the Arms Park and could come back into the XV for the Ospreys clash, another fierce battle to relish.

"There were big derbies back home between the Stormers and Bulls. These are right up there," said Harris, who won the Currie Cup with Western Province before heading to Wales in 2014.

"It's nice to play in them with the atmosphere at the games and the build-up through the week. It's good to be part of it."

Harris will be Welsh-qualified next season – "time flies when you're having fun" – and is excited about helping in the development of the next generation after penning a contract extension that will keep him in Newport until at least 2019.

"Lloyd (Fairbrother) and Leon (Brown) are still young and are good players," said the tighthead, who can also play on the other side of the scrum.

"We are trying to get the experience through to them and their energy pushes the rest of us, so it's a win-win situation.

"I'd like to go into coaching when I finish because I enjoy teaching and passing on experiences that have worked for me.

"It's nice to give advice to the young guys but if I look after the body I've still got another couple of years in me."