London Wasps look set to build on their unbeaten record in Pool 3 of the Amlin Challenge Cup after their 29-15 home win over bath moved them into fourth place in the Premiership over the weekend.
A bonus point win over Rugby Mogliano at Adams Park on Saturday would leave them needing only to deny the Dragons a full house of points in their round six clash at Rodney Parade to guarantee a safe passage into the quarter-finals.
Having run in nine tries in their 59-12 triumph in Italy in round two the home side will go into the return fixture as hot favourites and skipper Hugo Southwell is pleased with the progress his side is making.
Wasps avoided relegation by a single point last season, but they are now battling at the other end of the Premiership table for a place in the play-offs after taking 13 points from their three games over the festive period.
"It shows how far we have come. It might not have been the same at the start of the season or last year," said Southwell.
"I think we've come a long way since last season. Last season we were pretty hit and miss in the sense that we would have a great game and then we would have a not so good game.
"The squad has changed a bit but, at the same time, we have been able to hold together a core group of players who know what it felt like to be in the sort of position we were last year and don't want to be there again. As a team, we are improving every week and that's all you can ask for.
"Winning gives you a huge amount of momentum and you can feel it in the squad amongst the other guys that there is a massive belief in what we can do. Obviously you never want to get over confident, but we are at the level now where we are a very confident team, we trust each other, we play for each other and long may that continue."
