NEWPORT Gwent Dragons hand a debut to Ebbw Vale wing Simon Hunt for Saturday night's must-win Celtic League game against Edinburgh at Rodney Parade.

Hunt, English-born who joined Vale from Bristol, has impressed the Dragons this season and was recently invited to train with them.

Now he is put in for his debut at regional level in the only change from the side who beat another Scottish team, Glasgow, in their last game almost a fortnight ago.

"Simon has performed consistently for Ebbw Vale and comes highly recommended. We've watched him and we invited him to train with us with their co-operation," said Dragons rugby manager Jim McCreedy.

Coach Paul Turner persists with Gareth Wyatt, the normal right wing, at full back after trying him out there against Glasgow with some success.

Aled Thomas, also an outside half, had been deputising at full back for the injured Kevin Morgan but Turner gives Wyatt another opportunity enabling Hunt to be tried out on the wing.

Ceri Sweeney remains at inside centre alongside Hal Luscome though he sees a specialist next week in Bradford after failing to shake a groin problem off.

It restricts Sweeney with his kicking, but it doesn't affect his running so much and he remains an integral part of the Dragons set-up.

It has ruled him out of Wales' tour to Argentina next month, but tourists Ian Gough, Luke Charteris, Hal Luscombe and Rhys Thomas all play against Edinburgh.

The Dragons need to win, ideally with a bonus point while the Ospreys lose in Connacht on Friday night if they are to remain in with a real chance of qualifying automatically for the Heineken Cup next season.

If the Dragons lose and the Ospreys win the Dragons will be last placed Welsh team and would have to go down the play-off route against the third-placed Italian team, probably either Viadana or Rugby Parma, for Heineken Cup qualification.

Team v Edinburgh: G Wyatt, S Hunt, H Luscombe, C Sweeney, N Brew, C Warlow, G Baber, A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, I Gough, L Charteris, J Ringer, M Owen, J Forster (captain). Replacements: A Brown, G Robinson, A Hall, R Oakley, A Thomas, J Bryant, J Ireland. Kick off 5.30pm.