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Dragons boss Filo Tiatia believes in-form wing Rio Dyer will be fueled by being overlooked by Wales.
The 26-year-old has scored four tries in five games since returning from the autumn internationals.
Dyer was a member of Steve Tandy’s first squad and won his 24th cap in the final fixture against South Africa.
However, Wales have recalled fit-again Mason Grady and selected Ellis Mee and uncapped Gabriel Hamer-Webb to go with Louis Rees-Zammit, Blair Murray, Josh Adams and Tom Rogers.
“I felt for Rio, I called him after the team was announced and just checked in with him, but he’s motivated to keep improving on his game and gets an opportunity this weekend,” said Tiatia.
Dyer will get the chance to show Wales what they are missing when Dragons return to United Rugby Championship (URC) action on Friday when taking on Munster in Cork (19:45 GMT).
The wing is out of contract this summer and is still one cap short of the tally needed to play outside Wales and remain eligible for international rugby under the current Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) selection policy.
Dragons are confident of agreeing a new contract with the wing and avoiding him following Leicester-bound Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright in leaving for a new challenge.
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Wainwright and lock Ben Carter were the only players from the Rodney Parade club to get the call from Tandy for the Six Nations despite strong recent results.
Dragons provided five players for the autumn internationals but hooker Brodie Coghlan and injured tight-head prop Chris Coleman miss out along with Dyer.
Tiatia revealed that the Wales coaching staff contacted Coghlan, scrum-half Che Hope, blind-side flanker or lock Ryan Woodman and full-back Angus O’Brien after they missed out on the squad.
“What’s been really good is that they’ve communicated around areas that players need to get better at and keep improving,” said the Dragons boss.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t get many in the squad but what I can control is working with our players and being really clear on how they shift forward.
“They’ve just got to be razor-sharp ready if called upon.”
Dragons travel to Munster and Ospreys before a break for the start of the Six Nations.
They host Benetton on 28 February and hope to have Wales hooker Elliot Dee, who has not played since the opening weekend of the season, in contention for that game along with tight-head Dillon Lewis.
