A youthful Dragons Academy side take on Cross Keys RFC on Saturday in the first pre-season game ahead of the new season.
Wales U18s captain Cerrig Smith will lead the side out at Pandy Park with the game kicking off at 2:30pm.
Smith also captained Dragons U18s last year and has impressed at Newport RFC during the early stages of pre-season.
The Abercarn product slots in at second row with several of last seasons’ U18s also in the pack including Luke Daniel and Tiehi Chatham at six and eight respectively.
Joining them in the back row is Pontypool Utd product Ryan Jones, a former Dragons U18s captain himself, meanwhile Daniel Bassett is with Smith in the boiler house.
In the front row, another of last years’ U18s - Regan Jones - lines up at loosehead, alongside Tomoya Nieuwendijk-Adachi and Nathan Davies.
Halfback sees last seasons’ Carter Pritchard and Will Ford renew their U18s partnership, meanwhile Ethan Paterson and Morgan Carter start in the centres.
Harry Dawes, Louis Rees and Joe Salter round out the starting XV.
On the replacements bench are Chester Creel, George Tuckley, Barney Thomas-Hewartson, Sam Walters, Ellis Evans, Morgan Cusack, Regan Watkins and Rhys Cole.
Dragons Academy: Joe Salter; Louis Rees, Morgan Carter, Ethan Paterson, Harry Dawes; Will Ford, Carter Pritchard; Regan Jones, Tomoya Nieuwendijk-Adachi, Nathan Davies, Daniel Bassett, Cerrig Smith (cap.), Luke Daniel, Ryan Jones, Tiehi Chatham.
Replacements: Chester Creel, George Tuckley, Barney Thomas-Hewartson, Sam Walters, Ellis Evans, Morgan Cusack, Regan Watkins, Rhys Cole.
