Rejected trio return to action

ROB Evans will lead the return of the rejected when he features for the Scarlets against the Dragons at Rodney Parade today (4pm).

Samson Lee and Steff Evans, who also experienced the pain of being discarded by Wales for the Rugby World Cup, will join him in the side for the trip to Newport.

All three will want to show Warren Gatland what he’s missing.

They were culled from Gatland’s training squad when the final lineup for the global tournament in Japan was named this month.

Scarlets’ coach Brad Mooar said: “The engagement and their connection with the team and desire to be involved has been outstanding.

“They’ve been fully involved, they couldn’t have done any more and that’s about them putting in for a club that they love.”

For the Dragons, Ashton Hewitt returns for his first action since April 2018, with the wing recovered from his injuries, while Sam Davies starts his first game on home soil. Rhodri Williams will captain the team.

Leon Brown, also chopped by Wales when they made their final World Cup call, is set to appear off the bench.

The two teams will play for the Worthington’s Challenge Trophy.

Ospreys, meanwhile, go to Scotland to take on Edinburgh at Murrayfield (3pm), while Cardiff Blues head to Mike Rayer’s Bedford (4pm).

Dragons: J Williams, A Hewitt, A Warren, J Dixon, O Jenkins, S Davies, R Williams (c); B Harris, R Hibbard, L Fairbrother, B Nansen, M Screech, H Taylor, O Griffiths, L Evans. Reps: E Shipp, R Bevington, L Brown, J Davies, T Basham, L Baldwin, J Botica, W Talbot-Davies, A Owen. Scarlets: J McNicholl; R Conbeer, C Baldwin, S Hughes, S Evans; A O’Brien, K Hardy; R Evans, M Jones, S Lee, L Rawlins, S. Cummins, T. Phillips, J. Macleod, U Casseim. Reps: P Price, D Booth, W Kruger, J Helps, E Kennedy, D Davis, D Blacker, P Asquith, T James.