Newport Gwent Dragons Under-18 face Llanelli Scarlets at Abertillery tonight night as they look to consolidate their position at the top of the WRU Reebok Regional Championship table.

The Dragons put one over Cardiff Blues at Sardis Road on the opening night last month, and now, back on home soil, coaches Nick Rose and Steve Lewis will be confident of making it two out of two.

No.8 Lewis Evans, Jimmy Norris and Rhys Jones were among the try scorers in that opening victory with Jones, the Cwmcarn School outside half and son of former Wales flanker Kingsley, adding five conversions and a drop goal.

Gwent Dragons will be captained by Robert Lewis, the Hereford Cathedral School scrum half, whose partnership with Jones at half back could be key to the outcome of this eagerly anticipated contest.

Kim Norkett,director of rugby for the Scarlets' region said, "We were pleased to get off to a winning start against the Ospreys, butthis will be a different proposition altogether."

Rob Howley, Reebok's ambassador for the competition, said, "It's great to see the sons of so many good players and coaches coming through the system and this game gives us two really good examples of how sons can follow in their father's footsteps.

"On the one side you have Rhys Jones and on the other you have Huw Williams-Jones' son Lloyd. If they turn out to be half the players their fathers were, the Dragons and Scarlets will have two outstanding players in the making.

"The Dragons started well against the Blues and will hope to follow that up this week when they meet the Scarlets. But we all know how good the Scarlets can be on their travels."

Meanwhile Jones is one of 17 Dragons players who have made the newly created national under 18 squad. He is joined by the likes of scrum halves Julian Bishop and Lewis in a party that kicks off its campaign against Italy at The Gnoll on January 8.

Team manager Terry Cobner said, "The Welsh Rugby Union has created an excellent international pyramid system by rationalising all its age group teams, and the Under 18 side will play a key part in the developmental process."

The Under 20s, who went down to the Blues 24-7 at Eugene Cross Park, are hoping to reverse the trend on Wednesday when they take on the Scarlets at Stradey Park.

At under 16 level, the Dragons will be playing their first game of the campaign - against the Ospreys at Maesteg - after sitting out the first round.

The squad looks strong with Talywain providing four players - Ashley Sweet, Richard Peploe-Jones, Alex Phillips and Rhys Harris - while Risca have five representatives in Jason Tovey, Anthony Brown, Rhys Jenkins Matthew Williams and James Leadbeater.

Dragons Under-20: L Pearson; C Jones, G Ferguson, M Poole, D Walker; S Mills, A Walker; T Hearn, S Vokes, R Wilkes, R Thomas, S Marasco, M Leek, R Nash, J Lydiatt. Replacements : C Morgan, G Callow, S Thomas, N Downs, J Juene, P Sergeant, G King

Dragons Under-18: J Lewis; B Hale, A Smith, G Maule, M Johnston; R Jones, R Lewis (capt); G Price-Jones, N Williams, W Griffiths, S Tamplin, A Brown, E Matthews, B Flowers, L Evans. Replacements: J Leek, B Roberts, R Willard, D Crandon, J Norris, G Ashman, R Turner.

Dragons Under-16: J Tovey; L Preston-Allen; A Brown, C Wannell, G Dare; D Langdon, J Leadbeater, N Buck, L Harwood, S Gibson, A Phillips, R Jenkins, S Horton, R Peploe-Jones, A Sweet.. Replacements: J Burgess, M Williams, L Cale, D Reekes, M Lear, M Williams, M Witts Fixtures (7pm unless stated)

Under-16: Scarlets v Blues South (Stradey Park, Llanelli, 7.15pm) Ospreys v Dragons (Maesteg)

Under-18: Dragons v Scarlets (Abertillery) Ospreys v Blues (The Gnoll, Neath).

Under-20: Blues v Ospreys (Sardis Road, Pontypridd), Scarlets v Dragons (Stradey Park, Llanelli).