NEWPORT Gwent Dragons boss Lyn Jones insists Saturday's clash with European heavyweights Stade Francais is no mission impossible.

The Rodney Parade region open their European Rugby Challenge Cup campaign with a trip to the Stade Jean Bouin to take on the tournament favourites.

The Parisians have made a super start to the season and are yet to be turned over on their own patch while the Dragons have endured a miserable opening to the Guinness Pro12.

Everything points to a home win but if the visitors leave with something to show for their toil then they will keep hopes of a quarter-final spot well and truly alive.

The second-tier tournament now rewards the five pool winners and three best runners-up with knockout rugby, a target that shouldn't be out of the Dragons' reach.

"What we have got to do is get to round six in a position where we have to beat Stade Francais (to qualify)," said director of rugby Jones, whose side also face Newcastle and Bucharest Wolves.

"To do that we need some sort of bonus point from the match on Saturday and nothing is impossible.

"We are excited about playing in a new competition and it's about time we did well in Europe and got a bit of respect," he continued.

"We are under no illusions about how difficult it is going to be to win but it's about going there, believing ourselves and hitting our KPIs (key performance indicators).

"If you do that you never know what can happen – it's a funny old game."

Stade Francais have made it clear that the Top 14 is their priority and have left a host of stars out of their European squad.

Nine of the XV that started their derby victory against Racing Metro have not even been registered for the Challenge Cup, including Sergio Parisse, Pascal Pape, Jules Plisson, Raphael Slimani and Waisea Nayacalevu.

But they still boast the likes of Morne Steyn, Julien Dupuy, Digby Ioane and Aled de Malmanche in a formidable squad and Jones believes their hosts will be freed from the shackles of the Top 14 grind.

He said: "The French are quite reserved in their domestic competition and when they enter into Europe they will look at us, Newcastle and Bucharest and think let's go and play.

"And one thing with French teams is that they can go and play... whether they've got French players playing is another thing!

"They have a good attitude to keeping the game alive and if we switch off they can score from 100 yards but at the same time they can concede from 100 yards.

"We appreciate we are at the bottom of our game at the moment but that can quickly turn around."