NEWPORT Gwent Dragons will visit three grounds today to weigh up where to hold their Guinness PRO12 derby against Cardiff Blues.

The Dragons have been forced to shift the fixture on Saturday, May 6 (kick-off 5.15pm) because of a clash with Newport County's League Two finale against Notts County.

The Exiles have primacy of tenure at Rodney Parade and neither club is able to move the date of their game because it is the final day of their respective leagues with all clashes kicking off simultaneously.

That means the Dragons must go on the road and they will conduct site visits at Cross Keys' Pandy Park, Ebbw Vale's Eugene Cross Park and Caerphilly's Constructaquote Stadium, formerly known as Virginia Park.

All three grounds have strengths and weaknesses that will be assessed by a Dragons delegation headed by chief executive Stuart Davies.

They will weigh up which venue is most suitable in terms of the pitch and facilities for the players, medical responsibilities and providing a service for supporters, hospitality clients, sponsors and media.

Pandy Park was the Dragons' contingency plan for their Anglo-Welsh Cup clash against Newcastle last month when the fixture was in doubt because of heavy rain and hosted the Premiership Select's British and Irish Cup Ealing Trailfinders last autumn.

Eugene Cross Park hosted the BIC encounter with Connacht last season and was used for a friendly against then English champions Northampton in 2014, the pre-season game against a Saints side featuring George North, Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Kahn Fotuali'I and Luther Burrell attracting a crowd of 2,763 in monsoon conditions.

The Steelmen are scheduled to play Merthyr in the Principality Premiership on May 6 but, like Newport's fixture against Cross Keys, that can be moved.

Caerphilly have been vocal on social media about hosting the game and the venue would go down well with Cardiff Blues supporters given its proximity to the capital.

The Constructaquote Stadium hosted the South Wales Scorpions last year before the rugby league side's rebrand to the Ironmen and move to Merthyr, while Caerphilly chairman Alex James is on the Dragons' board.

The Dragons are keen to make a swift decision to help with planning and will try to make the best of a bad situation but having to move one of the most lucrative games of the season is a considerable financial blow.