Dragons v Scarlets: Guinness PRO12 preview
Last Updated: 25/04/15 6:19pm
Second row Rynard Landman will captain the Dragons in their Guinness PRO12 derby with Scarlets at Millennium Stadium.
The 28-year-old joins the starting side in one of six changes to the team that featured in Dragons’ 45-16 loss to Edinburgh in the European Challenge Cup semi-final last weekend.
Director of rugby Lyn Jones has brought in Geraint Rhys Jones at full-back as he lines up with wingers Tom Prydie and Hallam Amos who have been retained from last week along with centre pairing Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon.
Scrum-half Jonathan Evans will start the game inside pivot Dorian Jones, who last week produced a perfect kicking display.
In the front row Brok Harris has moved from loosehead to tighthead prop, and that move has necessitated the inclusion of Phil Price, while Rhys Buckley is named at hooker.
Joining Landman in the second row is young Matthew Screech, while flanker James Thomas moves from lock to the back row to replace Nick Crosswell.
He is joined in the loose forwards by James Benjamin and Welsh International number eight Taulupe Faletau.
Head coach Kingsley Jones commented: “We’ve tried not to look back at Edinburgh too much. We play them again in a fortnight’s time and the big plus for us is that we play at the Millennium Stadium this week and we play Edinburgh again the week after.
“After the poor performance we had last week you can’t ask for two better fixtures for the players and for all of us.”
He added: “There’s no need for any coach to motivate the players for the next two games – to play at the Millennium Stadium and then Edinburgh again.
“There are a lot of Welsh boys in our team and a lot of them will be looking to put their hand up I’m sure, thinking they’ve got an outside chance of inclusion in the Wales squad. But we’ve got to rise to it and the players have an opportunity to show what they can do. It should be a great day for Welsh rugby.”
Meanwhile Scarlets have named eight full internationals in their starting side, with Rhys Priestland named at fly-half and Aled Davies alongside him at scrum-half.
Hadleigh Parkes joins Scott Williams in the midfield while Regan King provides cover from the bench. International star Liam Williams takes his place in the back-three alongside Harry Robinson and 20-year-old Steff Evans, who returns to match action after a long-term hamstring injury.
In the forwards Phil John and Peter Edwards take their places either side of captain and hooker Ken Owens, with Jake Ball and Lewis Rawlins making up the tight five. Aaron Shingler makes a return from injury to join James Davies and John Barclay in the back-row.
Dragons: 15 Geraint Rhys Jones, 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Dorian Jones, 9 Jonathan Evans; 1 Phil Price, 2 Rhys Buckley, 3 Brok Harris, 4 Matthew Screech, 5 Rynard Landman (c), 6 James Thomas, 7 James Benjamin, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 T. Rhys Thomas, 17 Luke Garrett, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Nick Crosswell, 20 Ollie Griffiths, 21 Luc Jones, 22 Carl Meyer, 23 Ashton Hewitt.
Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Hadleigh Parkes, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies; 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens (capt.), 3 Peter Edwards, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Rob McCusker, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Regan King.