PICK me for Wales, urges Shawn van Rensburg, the Newport Gwent Dragons and former Neath and Bridgend back-row forward.

He has found some major form as a ball carrier in recent matches, after being on the sidelines for a long time with so many back-row forwards in the squad.

He enjoyed a rip-roaring game for the Dragons in their victory over Ulster, and with fellow South African Robbie Kempson in particular.

"I want to get a place for Wales in the autumn internationals," said the 29-year-old, who qualifies through residency.

"I really want to get in the Wales squad, that's my goal. The better I play, the better my chances will be. "I love to carry the ball and step and run, I don't know what else I've got to do. I'll have to impress the new coach when he comes in.

"I'm in my prime now and I've got three or four years left. I just need an opportunity."

Of his running battle with Kempson, he admitted: "There was niggling, punching and fighting. I don't know why me and Robbie had a problem, we've played together in the past, we've known each other since playing for Natal under-21s.

"It's just that he was on my case all game long. It's hard to play when you know someone's chasing you, I'm just glad we won it."

Hostilities between the pair continued after the game. "I went up to him and said basically, 'Do you want to finish it or shake hands, but he just walked away," said van Rensburg.

"We'll probably have a pint in the bar (Ulster left without a word) or maybe a big punch-up!"

Match-winner Percy Montgomery, with another 17-point haul, confessed to mixed feelings on the Ulster game.

"It was down to great team spirit, the boys played for each other, but I was a bit worried in the first half," he said.

"After Mike's talk at half-time the guys put their hands up, dug deep and showed a lot of passion. It meant a lot.

"The guys kept the ball more and stopped kicking it away, so something must be going right, but we let ourselves down in the first half and made too many silly mistakes.

"There are still eight matches to go and we must take it game by game."

On the battle between his two fellow South Africans, he said: "What happens in a game happens. It's war out there. They'll have a beer afterwards. It was a very good contest."

Coach Mike Ruddock commented: "Shawn retaliated to a punch, but I thought the South African lads normally palled up!"