Dragons head north looking to turn back clock against Falcons
DRAGONS return to the scene of one of their greatest triumphs when they face Newcastle Falcons this afternoon.
It was at Kingston Park in January 2015 that the men of Gwent produced a fine display to win 40-29 to clinch a quarter-final place in the European Challenge Cup.
Newcastle beat the Dragons in a rain-affected Anglo-Welsh Cup clash in Newport last season, the result standing with Falcons leading 18-6 when the tie was abandoned with 18 minutes remaining after a flooded pitch at Rodney Parade became unplayable.
Dragons coach Bernard Jackman has made nine changes from the side beaten at Cardiff Blues in the Guinness PRO14 for the Pool One opener of Europe’s second-tier Challenge Cup.
Newcastle, who are fourth in the Aviva Premiership, have made 11 from the side that scored four tries to pick up a bonus point at English champions Exeter Chiefs.
Jackman has rested Wales wing Hallam Amos and centres Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon, while Gavin Henson is among the substitutes.
Exciting wing Ashton Hewitt returns from an ankle injury, while Will Talbot-Davies makes his Challenge Cup debut at full-back with Wales Under-20 international George Gasson, a try-scorer in the Guinness PRO14 defeat at Cardiff Blues a week ago, remaining in the back-three.
Another promising youngster, Jared Rosser, also returns from injury to partner Adam Warren at centre in the absence of Wales international Morgan and Dixon.
Angus O’Brien takes over from veteran Henson at outside-half, while there’s a changed front-row of props Luke Garrett and Lloyd Fairbrother either side of Liam Belcher, who makes his first start for the Dragons. Kingston Park NEWCASTLE v DRAGONS 3pm
Former Cardiff Blues hooker Belcher said: “Everyone wants to show what we can do and if it’s your first game, like it is mine, you just want to try and prove a point.
“You want to stick your hand up and show what you are about. Any English team, no matter what level it is, will come with a big scrum, big driving maul and a big pack of forwards. As an eight, it’s a big game for us to put a marker down.”
Joe Davies joins Matthew Screech at lock with skipper Cory Hill being rested, while Aaron Wainwright steps in for James Thomas at blindside flanker.
France star centre Maxime Mermoz, who has two Champions Cup final successes and three French Top 14 titles to his name, makes his debut for Newcastle.
So does fellow summer arrivals Toby Flood, the England outsidehalf who began his career at Falcons before moving to Leicester and Toulouse, Ryan Burrows, Gary Graham and Sam Stuart.
The north-east club are seeking to extend their Kingston Park unbeaten streak to more than seven months. Newcastle: S Hammersley, A Tait, M Mermoz, T Flood, A Radwan, J Hodgson, S Stuart; R Vickers, B Sowrey, T Davison, W Witty, S Robinson, M Wilson (captain), R Burrows, G Graham. Reps: J Blamire, A Brocklebank, S Wilson, G Young, W Welch, R Dawson, C Cowell, C Harris. Dragons: W Talbot-Davies, A Hewitt, J Rosser, A Warren, G Gasson, A O’Brien, S Pretorius; L Garrett, L Belcher, L Fairbrother, J Davies, M Screech, A Wainwright, J Benjamin, O Griffiths (capt). Reps: G Ellis, T Davies, B Harris, R Landman, J Thomas, O Leonard, G Henson, P Howard. Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra).