Former Wales fly-half Paul Turner has been Dragons coach since May 2005

Paul Turner is calling on his Dragons side to become rugby's great entertainers if they are to attract crowds and defy the credit crunch.

The Dragons coach hopes the Heineken Cup visit of Bath on Sunday will match the 10,000 crowd that watched their Boxing Day derby with the Blues.

"In this economic credit crunch we're in, financially all is not well but I think we have a duty," said Turner.

"That was theatre on Boxing Day - and this is an entertainment business."

The Dragons narrowly lost their Magners League post-Christmas thriller at Rodney Parade to neighbours Cardiff Blues 21-19.

And Turner added: "We didn't like the outcome but I've rarely seen a team applauded off after losing as we were, it was surreal really."

606: DEBATE Would you only pay to watch attractive and entertaining rugby?

The Scarlets have slashed prices for their forthcoming Barbarians fixture in a bid to win back the crowds, as have Cardiff Blues for their fixture against Calvisano, amid widespread concerns over the effect of the recession on professional sport.

The Dragons, arguably Wales' least glamorous region, cannot qualify for this season's Heineken Cup quarter-finals and their only win in Europe this term is their Pool Five opener against Glasgow Warriors in Newport.

The Rodney Parade region has lost two of its last eight matches but have gained universal respect for their battling qualities despite not having many big-name stars.

Turner is taking heart from the Harlequins' success in attracting 50,000 people to Twickenham for their holiday match against Leicester.

"There's a lot a things happening in the rugby world and we can't just sit back and blame the way the finances are in the country at the moment," Turner told BBC Sport Wales.

I've been in two Six Nations squads and not actually made it onto the field Dragons lock Luke Charteris

"You're still getting 16-17,000 people at Kingsholm to watch Gloucester and Welford Road in Leicester so we've got to go out to try to entertain and win."

Turner's entertainment message is backed by stand-in captain Luke Charteris, who leads the side against Bath with regular skipper Tom Willis on the bench.

"As a player you don't enjoy playing in the 9-6 games," said the Wales lock.

"They're not much fun, as a spectator it's boring stuff

"We like to be running round and scoring tries and they want to be watching the same sort of rugby we want to be playing.

"It's not always as easy as that but we'll definitely be going out with the intent to attack, we've nothing to lose."

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Charteris is hoping his own form this season will gain him a first Six Nations appearance after two previous campaigns "holding tackle bags" without getting onto the field.

An injury to Ospreys star Ian Evans has left the door open for 6 ft 9 ins Charteris to fight it out with Ian Gough to partner Alun Wyn Jones in the second row.

"The first thing is to hope your name is called out in the squad on Monday," he said.

"I've been in two Six Nations squads and not actually made it onto the field, so the next step then is to make it into the 22 and get some rugby time."

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