Dragons duo handed first starts in PRO14
FLY-HALF Jacob Botica and prop Josh Reynolds are both handed their first starts in the Guinness PRO14 as Dragons face Benetton Rugby at Rodney Parade tonight (7.35pm).
Reynolds starts at loose-head prop – with Aaron Jarvis ruled out by injury – as Dean Ryan, director of Dragons Rugby, makes just two changes to the starting line-up that defeated Toyota Cheetahs.
Botica will make his 10th appearance this season, but first start in the league, as he comes in for Sam Davies who was unavailable for selection due to training commitments with Wales.
Wales hooker Elliot Dee returns from international camp to be named among the replacements.
Scrum half Luke Baldwin, Arwel Robson and Connor Edwards are also called into the match-day squad.
Prop Conor Maguire, who has joined on a short-term trial, could also make his debut for Dragons from the bench.
“We want to play as we haven’t got into a rhythm after playing two games in really poor weather conditions after five weeks off,” said Ryan.
“We need to continue to play to try and build that rhythm before the final raft of league fixtures.
“Benetton are a well organised team with quality players,” he added.
“They contribute a large part to the Italian squad, but they are not the side of previous years where that hurt them so much. They have grown strength in depth.
“They are a powerful side and they have some real innovative thinking around the way they play the game. It will be a huge challenge for us.”
■ Connacht and Munster’s upcoming PRO14 games in Italy have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.
Munster were scheduled to face Benetton on March 21 before Connacht’s trip to Zebre on March
28.
The Italian government has extended restrictions on sporting events until April 3.
The PRO14 have said they aim to reschedule both postponed fixtures for later in April or May.
They added that discussions are also on-going regarding the rescheduling of the two Pro14 Round 13 fixtures – Zebre v Ospreys and Benetton v Ulster – which were called off at the end of February.
Dragons:
W Talbot-Davies, J Rosser, A Warren, J Dixon, A Hewitt, J Botica, R Williams (c); J Reynolds, E Shipp, L Fairbrother, J Davies, M Screech, H Keddie, T Basham, O Griffiths. Reps: E Dee, C Maguire, C Coleman, B Nansen, L Evans, L Baldwin, A Robson, C Edwards.
L Sperandio; A Esposito, I Brex, M Zanon, M Ioane; I Keatley (c), C Trussardi; N Quaglio, T Baravalle, F Alongi, I Herbst, E Snyman, M Lamaro, F Ruzza, T Halafihi. Reps: H Faiva, F Zani, G Di Stefano, M Fuser, G Pettinelli, L Petrozzi, I McKinley, J Riera.
George Clancy (Ire).
Benetton: Referee: