Centre Joe Westwood returns to the starting line-up as Dragons RFC face Vodacom Bulls in the BKT United Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 2pm UK).
Fit-again midfielder Westwood is one of three changes made by Head Coach Filo Tiatia for the final league fixture of the season in South Africa.
Fly half Lloyd Evans is named in the ten jersey, with Angus O’Brien moving to full back and Huw Anderson to the wing.
Lock Joe Davies is also named in the starting line-up and will partner co-captain Ben Carter.
A new-look bench sees potential debuts for hooker Lewis Morgan and prop Jamie Hughes who play on permit from Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery respectively.
Back row Evan Minto, scrum half Che Hope and utility back Ewan Rosser also feature.
Tiatia said: “It’s one final push. The last game of the season and the environment we are going to in Pretoria is a challenging one.
“They are a good team, are second in the URC and have a big squad and are well coached. “They are playing a really dominate style of rugby. That is their DNA, so we are under no illusion as to the test, but we want to finish strongly with the young players who are here.
“They play at altitude and the style is different to Stormers last week,” he added. “Bulls are a physical team, brutality around contact, and it is a good challenge for us. It will be a big contest and we need to stay in the fight.”
Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien (cc); Harry Rees-Weldon, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson; Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams; Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Ben Carter (cc), Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: Lewis Morgan, Jamie Hughes, Paula Latu, Barny Langton-Cryer, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Ewan Rosser, Ashton Hewitt
Unavailable (22): Harri Ackerman (arm), Dmitri Arhip (knee), Taine Basham (leg), James Benjamin (chest), Oli Burrows (shoulder), Steve Cummins (arm), Elliot Dee (personal), Rio Dyer (ankle), Cai Evans (leg), Solomone Funaki (knee), Rhodri Jones (calf), Harrison Keddie (leg), Dan Lydiate (knock), Rodrigo Martinez (leg), George Nott (knee), Josh Reynolds (shoulder), Jared Rosser (pec), Sam Scarfe (shoulder), Matthew Screech (knock), Josh Thomas (leg), Scott Williams (leg), Luke Yendle (knee)
Bulls are a physical team, brutality around contact, and it is a good challenge for us. It will be a big contest and we need to stay in the fight...
