Dragons debuts for Wales duo against new-look Bristol

David Skippers
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The weekend’s European action gets underway with Bristol Bears hosting Dragons in their Challenge Cup quarter-final at Ashton Gate on Friday.

Wales internationals Jamie Roberts and Jonah Holmes will make their debuts for Dragons after being named at inside centre and on the right wing in the Welsh region’s starting line-up.

The vastly experienced Roberts will link-up with Nick Tompkins in midfield while Holmes adds his firepower out wide.

Dean Ryan, director of rugby at the Dragons, also hands a sensational return to action to full-back Jordan Williams, one of a total of seven changes from the side that last featured in the PRO14.

The eye-catching number 15 will return to his former club for the European showdown as he makes his first appearance since November last year.

Wales international Leon Brown and Brok Harris are named up front to scrum down alongside hooker Elliot Dee.

Destructive number eight Ross Moriarty is back in the pack while a back-row reshuffle will see Aaron Wainwright operate at blindside flanker and Harrison Keddie move to openside.

The final change to the starting line-up is a recall for lock Joe Davies who will partner Matthew Screech in the second-row.

There is also a welcome return for fly-half Josh Lewis who could make his first appearance for Dragons since April 2019 after being named among the replacements.

Meanwhile, Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam has made 14 changes from his run-on side that faced Wasps last weekend for this highly anticipated Anglo-Welsh Cup encounter.

Bears include nine internationals in the starting line-up as Steven Luatua skippers the side from the back-row. He packs down on blindside flank with Ben Earl at openside while Nathan Hughes starts at number eight.

Chris Vui and Dave Attwood are the starting locks while Harry Thacker packs down at hooker alongside Kyle Sinckler and Jake Woolmore, who start at tighthead and loosehead prop respectively.

In the backline, Callum Sheedy will wear the number 10 jersey and he forms a half-back partnership with Andy Uren.

Elsewhere, Piers O’Conor is the only survivor from the loss to Wasps and lines up in midfield alongside Semi Radradra while Charles Piutau is at full-back and Luke Morahan and Henry Purdy are the starting wings.

Harry Randall returns from a laceration injury to be included among the 23-man squad on the replacements bench as scrum-half cover.

The teams:

Bristol: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Piers O’Conor, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 John Afoa, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Dan Thomas, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Max Malins, 23 Alapati Leiua

Dragons: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Jonah Holmes, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Ashton Hewitt, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Rhodri Williams (c), 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Harrison Keddie, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Matthew Screech, 4 Joe Davies, 3 Leon Brown, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Brok Harris
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Josh Reynolds, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Joe Maksymiw, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Josh Lewis, 23 Adam Warren

Date: Friday, September 18
Venue: Ashton Gate
Kick-off: 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson, Ian Tempest
TMO: Rowan Kitt

Bristol