Teammate Toby Faletau (R)
Steffan Jones gets his first start for the Dragons as the region take on the Cardiff Blues in the regional clash at Rodney Parade tomorrow (4:05pm)
The game is expected to sell out but there are still a handful of tickets available for the derby match which promises to be a great match.
Head Coach Darren Edwards has decided to use every avenue to boost the team on Friday, sharing the team’s motivational video used in the run-up to the Ospreys game to get the fans ready to put themselves behind the Men of Gwent.
“A good end to the season is crucial and tomorrow’s result will have a massive bearing on that,” said Edwards. “We are not going out there hoping something will happen – we are going out to make it happen.
“Everybody was a part of the win against the Ospreys here 2 weeks ago. The team all played well, the backroom staff ensured the players were well-prepared and of course our supporters played a massive role in helping us to that great win. Their support will be just as important tomorrow if we are going to get the all-important win.
The Men of Gwent will be wearing a one-off charity shirt designed by Richard Parks in aid of his 737 Challenge to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
“It’s great to see Richard Parks’ challenge going so well,” said Edwards. “The boys were delighted to be supporting him as he takes on this massive challenge. A lot of us know Richard from his time here. He was a great influence on the team during his time here and that will continue. When he returns we will be looking forward to having him back in our environment to talk to the squad about his experiences as we prepare for next season.”
Newport Gwent Dragons starting XV
Steffan Jones,
Adam Hughes,
Tom Riley,
Ashley Smith,
Aled Brew,
Jason Tovey,
Wayne Evans,
Phil Price,
Lloyd Burns,
Ben Castle,
Luke Charteris (c),
Adam Jones,
Danny Lydiate,
Gavin Thomas,
Toby Faletau
Replacements
Tom Willis, Hugh Gustafson, Dan Way, Andrew Coombs, Lewis Evans, Pat Leach, Jonathan Evans, Mathew Jones
Ref: James Jones
Ar 1: David Jones
AR 2: Hugh Watkins
TMO: Tony Rowlands