Elliot Dee will make his 100th appearance for Dragons as the World Cup stars return to Rodney Parade for Friday’s European Challenge Cup clash with Worcester Warriors (kick-off 8pm).
Dee will hit his century and is named in the starting line-up alongside Wales team-mates Aaron Wainwright and Cory Hill, who make their first appearances of the season on home soil.
Hill slots in at blindside flanker, to make a first appearance for Dragons since January, while Wainwright moves across the back row to play at Number Eight.
Dean Ryan, Director of Dragons Rugby, makes a total of four changes to the side that narrowly lost to the Warriors last weekend, as he also recalls centre duo Adam Warren and Jack Dixon.
Back row Harrison Keddie returns among the replacements.
Dragons grabbed a late bonus point try at Sixways to remain top of Pool 1 and Ryan knows that only victory will be good enough back at Rodney Parade in the Round 4 encounter.
“We did a tremendous job to get a point at Worcester when we were down to 14 men,” he said.
“Europe is not always about winning on the night, it is about winning the right pool games at the right time.
“We know that we have got to win at Rodney Parade and what a great game to be involved in.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good position,” he added.
“We won’t let it distract from the work that still needs to go on. We have lots of challenges here, but what a great opportunity to get something going at Rodney Parade.
“If we get something on Friday we still have Castres and Enisei in the New Year – it is not done on Friday. But it would put us in a strong position.”
Dragons: Will Talbot-Davies, Owen Jenkins, Adam Warren, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, Sam Davies, Rhodri Williams (c); Brok Harris, Elliot Dee, Leon Brown, Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Cory Hill, Ollie Griffiths, Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Josh Reynolds, Aaron Jarvis, Max Williams, Harrison Keddie, Luke Baldwin, Jacob Botica, Tyler Morgan
Worcester: Chris Pennell, Perry Humphreys, Ashley Beck, Jono Lance, Tom Howe, Duncan Weir, Francois Hougaard; Callum Black, Nial Annett (c), Nick Schonert, Anton Bresler, Graham Kitchener, Ted Hill, Sam Lewis, Cornell Du Preez
Replacements: Isaac Miller, Ethan Waller, Richard Palframan, Justin Clegg, GJ van Velze, Michael Heaney, Noah Heward, Nick David
If we get something on Friday we still have Castres and Enisei in the New Year – it is not done on Friday. But it would put us in a strong position...
