Preview: Dragons v Aironi
Dragons fly-half Jason Tovey will start in the number ten jersey for their vital match against Aironi at Rodney Parade on Saturday.
Dragons fly-half Jason Tovey will start in the number ten jersey for the vital match against Aironi at Rodney Parade on Saturday.
As Pat Leach returns from injury to start, Tom Cheeseman and Ashley Smith have both had to pull out. Smith failed a fitness test following the knee injury he picked up against Glasgow which kept him out of last weekend's game against Toulouse whilst Cheeseman picked up a knee injury in training at the start of the week.
Rising star Toby Faletau will make his first start of the season at eight and Steve Jones will start at hooker following the withdrawal of Tom Willis.
“The loss of Tom Cheeseman and Ashley have been blows for us this week,” said Dragons Head Coach Paul Turner.
“It does seem that as soon as one player comes back from injury, another one picks one up – but that is professional sport and the players who are being called into the squad have a fine opportunity to prove themselves.”
“I can see the confidence starting to return within the squad. Defensively we are getting tighter game by game and our attacking game is getting back to where it was last season.”
Meanwhile, centre Matteo Pratichetti and flanker Simone Favaro are in the Aironi XV for Aironi for Saturday's clash in Wales.
The two young Italian internationals will make their first starts of the Magners League season after recovering from summer surgeries.
In the backs, Julien Laharrague returns at full-back while Pratichetti will play alongside Rodd Penney in midfield.
The half-backs and the front row are unchanged from last week's defeat to Bath.
Carlo Del Fava replaces Quintin Geldenhuys in the second row.
There is more good new on the bench, where prop Fabio Staibano get his first call-up after recovering from a long term injury that needed a couple of surgeries since his move from French side Castres.
Aironi and, in particular, Viadana Rugby have also sent their best wishes to South Africa where former fly-half Casper Steyn, is fighting for his life after car accident. Steyn is the Italian side's top scorer in Heineken Cup.
“In my name and in name of Rugby Viadana and Aironi Rugby we are close to Delene and to their children in this hard and dramatic moment for our friend Casper,” said CEO Franco Tonni.
Form: Dragons' only win in their last nine games was 23-11 at home to Glasgow on 12 September. Dragons have lost their last two matches at Rodney Parade, to Scarlets and Toulouse, but have not lost three in a row at the famous old ground since 2007. Aironi are still searching for a maiden victory, and in fact have not scored a try since their trip to Llanelli on 17 September. Italian teams have a creditable won 2, lost 3 record at Rodney Parade, with Parma winning there 24-15 in a European Play-Off match in June 2006 and Treviso being victorious 24-22 in the European Cup in December 2007.
The teams:
Dragons: 15 Will Harries, 14 Adam Hughes, 13 Tom Riley, 12 Pat Leach, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Wayne Evans. 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Gavin Thomas, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Rob Sidoli, 4 Luke Charteris (capt), 3 Pat Palmer, 2 Steve Jones, 1 Phil Price.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Hugh Gustafson, 18 Nigel Hall, 19 Scott Morgan, 20 Andrew Coombs, 21 Matthew Jones, 22 Nicky Griffiths, 23 Rhodri Gomer Davies.
Aironi: 15 Julien Laharrague, 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Rodd Penney, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti, 10 Ludovic Mercier, 9 Pablo Canavosio, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Nicola Cattina, 6 Simone Favaro; 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Carlo Del Fava; 3 Luca Redolfini, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Roberto Santamaria, 17 Fabio Staibano, 18 Alberto De Marchi, 19 Quintin Geldenhuys, 20 Jaco Erasmus, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Gilberto Pavan, 23 Riccardo Bocchino.
Date: Saturday, October 23
Venue: Rodney Parade
Kick-off: 18.30 BST (17.30 GMT)
Referee: Andrew McMenemy