HALLAM Amos wants the Dragons to lay down a marker for the Guinness PRO14 run-in by going flying into French giants Clermont Auvergne in Friday's European finale.

The Top 14 giants head to Rodney Parade (kick-off 8pm) with Pool One top spot and a home Challenge Cup quarter-final secure, while Northampton are safe in second.

The Dragons don't have qualification to play for but know they will have to be on top form against the Frenchmen, whose star-studded squad means it doesn't matter if they ring the changes from their thrilling 48-40 triumph against the Saints.

Ceri Jones' men eased past minnows Timisoara Saracens 59-3 in Newport last weekend and now Wales wing/full-back Amos wants them to set the tone for the rest of the league campaign.

"Clermont are one of the best sides in Europe, so it will be a different challenge to Timisoara, but it's a chance for us to lay down a marker," said the 24-year-old, who scored a brace against the Romanians.

"We can't get through but we can get momentum for Munster and the other seven games of the season.

"Clermont may not name their first team but sometimes that is worse because you get boys coming into the team who really want to put on a show and stake a claim for their place.

"It will be a great game and playing teams like Clermont is fantastic. I've played a number of French teams at Rodney Parade and they are not always the best of travellers, so hopefully we'll put in a big performance.

"When we played them out there it was probably the best club atmosphere that I have experienced.

"It was fantastic and on Friday hopefully we can have a good game; they are through, we are out but hopefully we can chuck the ball around. It will be fun."

The Dragons will need to hold firm in defence against a Clermont side who have scored 37 tries in five Challenge Cup games and crossed for 53 in 14 fixtures in the Top 14.

The region have tightened up since shipping seven when the teams met at the Stade Marcel Michelin in December.

That has coincided with the departure of head coach Bernard Jackman, who paid the price for a disappointing firm half of the campaign.

"Bernard was obviously a bit of a scapegoat," said Amos. "You can't fire 40 boys so he's fallen on the sword there, which is tough because he laid a lot of the good groundwork, I think."

"There haven't been massive changes. Chappy (academy manager James Chapron) has come in and simplified the defence, which has been very good, but it's just doing the little things well and trusting the process.

"Defence especially has been pretty strong and it has definitely stepped up over the last three weeks.

"I thought that in all the derbies we played well, we didn't have a lot of possession so the attacking shape will hopefully improve with time. We are in a pretty good place at the moment after a couple of good performances."

Amos is out of contract this summer and has been on the radar of Welsh rivals Cardiff Blues.

His future is impacted by the talks between the Welsh Rugby Union and the regions over a new agreement that affects budgets and sees the end of dual contracts and introduction of pay banding.

"We've been in the dark and nothing can happen," said the 18-times capped international, who is set to be named in Warren Gatland's Six Nations squad today (TUES).