RHODRI Williams is confident that the Dragons are on the right track despite enduring a challenging first season at Rodney Parade.

The 25-year-old Wales scrum-half arrived from summer as one of Bernard Jackman's high-profile recruits with the intention of making waves in the Guinness PRO14.

However, the Dragons have endured another tough campaign with poor form costing head coach Jackman his job at the start of December.

The region sit level on points with bottom club Southern Kings in Conference B of the PRO14 with Zebre, who prop up Conference A, the only other team that don't have ambitions of qualifying for the play-offs.

The Dragons will be Wales' bottom region for the 12th time in 16 seasons but Williams believes the past two months has provided some hope.

There have been signs of progress under caretaker boss Ceri Jones with a win against the Ospreys – a first derby success in four years – and battling displays in defeat to Cardiff Blues, the Scarlets and Munster.

Williams, who returned to Wales with the aim of adding to his three caps, doesn't wish he had stayed in the West Country to be part of the Bears' battle against the drop in the Gallagher Premiership.

"I am not regretting it," said the former Scarlets half-back, who has played in 18 of 20 fixtures. "It hasn't gone as well as we would have liked but we are growing as a club.

"At the end of this season we have Edinburgh, Benetton, Ulster, the South African teams and derbies against the Ospreys and Scarlets. There is plenty to play for and quality games that we want to be involved in.

"We will just keep our heads down, work hard and try to get good results, because we are not far off. Some games haven't gone our way but if we put 80-minute performances in then we can go up against the best."

Friday's clash against Edinburgh at Murrayfield presents the Dragons with a chance to end their embarrassing 39-game losing streak on the road in the PRO14.

"It's a big target of ours to get that away win," said Williams. "We won a Welsh derby against the Ospreys to tick that off. The away win is a big thing to target and have to put the work in behind the scenes.

"Edinburgh are a quality side with quality coaches who have improved massively. It does help that we beat them at home (in November) and we will take confidence from that game."

The Dragons were edged out 8-7 by Conference A leaders Munster at the end of last month in horrendous conditions.

Williams played the full 80 minutes, as did half-back partner Josh Lewis with the pair showing excellent game management in the wind and rain.

The fly-half has bounced back from an autumn loss of form to wear 10 on his back in the last four PRO14 encounters.

"Josh has been on fire recently and against Munster his kicking and control of the game helped us," said Williams.

"I have really been enjoying playing with him and I think we have worked well together in the last few games.

"Confidence is so important and he has grown; he has improved so much and is going really well."