DRAGONS boss Dean Ryan is ready to go fully-loaded for Bristol after declaring his derby experimentation a success.

The Rodney Parade region finished the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 campaign with a draw at the Ospreys and a 41-20 loss to the Scarlets in Newport.

Ryan mixed his team up with just five players – wing Ashton Hewitt, centre Nick Tompkins, fly-half Sam Davies, lock Matthew Screech and flanker Taine Basham – starting both fixtures.

New signings Jonah Holmes and Jamie Roberts are yet to make their debuts and director of rugby Ryan used the derbies to give experience of local tussles to up-and-coming forwards Ben Fry, Josh Reynolds, Chris Coleman and Max Williams.

READ MORE: The talking points from Dragons v Scarlets

The squad have this week off but will return to Ystrad Mynach next Monday to prepare for their September 18 clash with the Bears at Ashton Gate.

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"We've got everybody fit that we want fit for a one-off game, that was the biggest priority for us," said Ryan.

"We know that we can change selection and I am not naïve enough to think that we can go into the Bristol game with under-23s.

"We will change our tact and will be very much as strong as we can be to see if we can get something out of a one-off game."

The Dragons were overpowered up front by the Scarlets, who fielded Wales internationals Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Samson Lee and Jake Ball plus Lewis Rawlins in their tight five.

Ryan selected young props Reynolds and Coleman either side of Test hooker Elliot Dee while Williams partnered Matthew Screech in the second row.

The boss didn't regret looking to the future rather than plotting for the Bears after seeing his side go from 19-15 down approaching the hour to 41-15 down until Adam Warren's consolation.

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"We got what we knew that we'd get," said Ryan, who brought Wales tighthead Leon Brown on for Coleman at half-time. "I was pleased that they were in it up to 50 minutes because we had eight under-23s.

"That we got dusted in the scrum and drive wasn't a surprise because we wanted people to experience that.

"The only way that they will get better is by playing at this level and understanding it rather than waiting to experience it.

"I was pleased that we were in contention and I was pleased that we looked quite comfortable with the ball and caused them some problems.

"The damage had been done for that last 20 minutes, when the senior players came off it was difficult to get control.

"But I am not scratching my head, I haven't got a magic wand and I can't make a 21-year-old suddenly compete with Ken Owens.

"What a great experience for Chris Coleman, Josh Reynolds, Max Williams, now they know what the challenge looks like and they have to come back and compete with that.

"That was very deliberate and now we can look to Bristol."