Ross Moriarty will play his 50th game for Dragons RFC in the big EPCR Challenge Cup decider with Emirates Lions on Sunday afternoon at Ystrad Mynach (kick-off 1pm).
With a place in the knockout stages on the line, the Men of Gwent make three changes to the side that impressively defeated Section Paloise in France last weekend.
Moriarty is recalled at Number Eight to make his milestone appearance while there is also a return for Ben Carter in the second row.
The final change to the starting line-up is a place for prop Lloyd Fairbrother.
Prop Leon Brown – this week named in the Wales squad for the upcoming Six Nations– returns among the replacements and is set for his first appearance since April last year.
Prop Aki Seiuli and scrum half Rhodri Williams also feature on the bench.
Simon Cross, Defence Coach at Dragons RFC, said: “It’s going to be an unbelievably physical test against the Lions.
“We had two difficult games with them in South Africa, but we know if we get our bits right, we can get the result we need.
“It’s now about backing up that memorable win away from home in France with a solid and tough performance back on home soil.
“We fancy anyone at home. In front of our crowd, we are a tough team to break down,” he added.
“We know a lot about the Lions and it’s about physicality this weekend. We’ve got to make sure, as a group, we can be as physical as we were against Pau.
“I have no doubt that the team we’ve picked, and the bench that we have got, have the capability of winning this big game.”
Dragons RFC: Jordan Williams, Rio Dyer, Steff Hughes (c), Max Clark, Ashton Hewitt, Will Reed, Lewis Jones; Rob Evans, Bradley Roberts, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Ben Carter, George Nott, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty
Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Aki Seiuli, Leon Brown, Sean Lonsdale, Aaron Wainwright, Rhodri Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Jack Dixon
Unavailable: Gonzalo Bertranou (foot), Elliot Dee (collarbone), Ollie Griffiths (pec), Rhodri Jones (calf), Harrison Keddie (hamstring), Angus O’Brien (knock), Aneurin Owen (knee), Will Rowlands (shoulder), David Richards (hamstring)
It’s now about backing up that memorable win away from home in France with a solid and tough performance back on home soil...
