Taine Basham makes his first start of the season and there will be a debut for new signing George Nott as the Dragons play host to Munster in the United Rugby Championship on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off).
Flanker Basham was Wales’ breakthrough star in the first half of last season before losing his place in the team, with Josh Navidi and then Tommy Reffell taking over at No. 7. So he will be looking to make his mark over the coming weeks ahead of the autumn internationals.
The Wales-qualified Nott, a summer recruit from London Irish, will also be keen to make a big impression as he partners skipper Will Rowlands in the second row. The other change to the starting line-up from last weekend’s 44-6 defeat away to Edinburgh sees a return for Ashton Hewitt on the wing.
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Prop Rob Evans and centre Max Clark, signings from the Scarlets and Bath respectively, are in line to make their debuts from the bench, where they are joined by the returning Aaron Wainwright.
Back-rowers Harri Keddie (ankle) and Ollie Griffiths (back), fly-half Sam Davies (knee), prop Leon Brown (neck), prop Rhodri Jones (calf) and centre Aneurin Owen (hamstring) are all unavailable through injury.
Munster will also be out to bounce back from defeat, having lost 20-13 to Cardiff at the Arms Park last Saturday. With this mind, they have made no fewer than eight changes, fielding a strong-looking 23.
The vastly-experienced Peter O’Mahony comes in to captain the side, with fellow Ireland internationals Keith Earls, Simon Zebo, Craig Casey and Dave Kilcoyne also drafted into the starting line-up, while Tadhg Beirne and Joey Carbery are among the subs.
Dragons head Coach Dai Flanagan said: “Munster don’t lose twice on the bounce often, so we have to respect them. But we’ve also got to look after what we can look after, and we’ve got to show improvement. We’ve got to fight for each other, fight for the area we come from and it’s a chance to show that at Rodney Parade. We’re looking forward to being back on home soil and looking for a response after our opening performance.”
Dragons: Angus O’Brien, Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams; Aki Seiuli, Bradley Roberts, Lloyd Fairbrother, George Nott, Will Rowlands (capt), Sean Lonsdale, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rob Evans, Chris Coleman, Ben Carter, Aaron Wainwright, Lewis Jones, Max Clark, Jordan Williams.
Munster: Mike Haley, Keith Earls, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Simon Zebo, Ben Healy, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Jack O’Sullivan.
Replacements: Scott Buckley, Liam O’Connor, Keynan Knox, Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne, Paddy Patterson, Joey Carbery, Liam Coombes.
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