Dragons missing tour trio for Lions

THE Dragons will be without Wales squad forwards Will Rowlands, Leon Brown and Ben Carter for today’s final game of the season at home to the Lions at Rodney Parade (3pm).

All three are currently sidelined through injury, but working to prove their fitness in time for the summer tour of South Africa.

On second rows Rowlands and Carter, Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan said: “Losing Will and Ben has been a tough challenge. They are not available for this weekend.

“I am sure Wayne (Pivac) is fully aware of where they are and I would imagine both will go in for the first camp.”

As for tighthead prop Brown, he said: “Is he available this week? No. But he is in every day working hard to be available for the summer. After this week, it will be a combination of our medical team and Wales’ to see if they can achieve that.”

Taine Basham takes over in a reshuffled back-row from injured Harri Keddie with Ben Fry going to blind-side.

Josh Lewis takes over from injured Jack Dixon at centre with Huw Taylor and Joe Maksymiw a new lock pairing.

Dragons almost broke their home duck for 2021-22 last weekend, but were beaten 19-18 by arch-rivals Cardiff.

Lions have a new centre partnership in Matt More and Henco van Wyk with lock Reinhard Nothnagel leading the visitors, whose head coach Ivan van Rooyen says their selection has an “eye towards the future” in for their final game of the season.

Following his sending-off for a dangerous challenge in defeat by Cardiff, lock Joe Davies has been banned, after mitigation, for three weeks so his season is over.

If he attends World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme, Davies’ absence will be reduced by another week, but he cannot play until September.

Dragons: Jordan Williams; Rio Dyer, Adam Warren, Josh Lewis, Jared Rosser; Will Reed, Gonzalo Bertranou; Aki Seiuli, Elliot Dee, Mesake Doge, Joe Maksymiw, Huw Taylor, Ben Fry, Taine Basham, Ollie Griffiths (c). Reps: Taylor Davies, Lloyd Fairbrother, Chris Coleman, Max Williams, Lennon Greggains, Lewis Jones, Sam Davies, Ioan Davies.

Lions: Quan Horn; Stean Pienaar, Henco van Wyk, Matt More, Edwill van der Merwe; Jordan Hendrikse, Morne van den Berg; JP Smith, Jaco Visagie, Ruan Dreyer, Ruan Venter, Reinhard Nothnagel (c), Sibusiso Sangweni,Vincent Tshituka, Francke Horn. Reps: PJ Botha, Sti Sithole, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruben Schoeman, Jarod Cairns, Andre Warner, Manuel Rass, Tiaan Swanepoel.

Referee: Joy Neville (IRFU)