CRAIG Warlow has been reinstated at outside half for Newport Gwent Drag-ons in their crucial Celtic League game against Connacht at Rodney Par-ade tonight.

Warlow went on against the Ospreys on New Year's Day at an important stage in the game with the scores level at 14-14, and his tactical kicking enabled the Dragons to pull away and clinch a much-needed victory.

They need another against the Irish team who are bottom of the table, now two below the Dragons whose victory against the Opsreys lifted them a place to ninth.

Warlow had enjoyed a run of 10 starts in 12 games at outside half and though doing nothing particulary wrong then found himself on the sidelines for the next four as coach Paul Turner went for an international partnership of Gareth Cooper and Ceri Sweeney at half back.

But Sweeney's kicking game has proved below par, a comparision made worse by the way Warlow took the Ospreys game by the scruff of the neck and he now finds himself on the sidelines as a replacement.

Turner could have moved Sweeney to inside centre where he played for Wales in the Autumn series and has figured five times for the Dragons this season, but the form of Jon Bryant mitigated against that.

Bryant has enjoyed a real revival, rediscovering the form he showed for Pontypridd and the Celtic Warriors but had largely deserted him with the Dragons.

His forceful running and strong tackling, plus his willingness to 'get his hands dirty' has turned him into a regular in the side for virtually the first time.

Warlow for Sweeney is the only change in the Dragons starting line-up, and there is also one change on the bench where Jamie Ringer has recovered from the ankle injury which forced him to miss the last two games and replaces young Chris Davies.

Utility back Sione Tuipulotu remains at full back with Kevin Morgan out for the season and development player Gareth Chapman makes his sixth successive appearance on the wing.

The Dragons are hoping for earlier than expected returns by two on their injured threequarters, Nathan Brew and Gareth Wyatt.

They are now both expected to be fit for the Celtic League match against Leinster at Rodney Parade on the weekend of February 17,18 and 19 after being out with a broken thumb and dislocated elbow, respectively.

There is, however, no sign of a return by front row pair Chris Anthony and Kieran Crawford, both long-term shoulder injury victims. Anthony yet to play this season and Crawford only in the first two matches.

Connacht will be captained by former Newport wing Matt Mostyn, now at full back, and are waiting on the fitness of lock Andrew Farley who has a knee injury.

Dragons team: S Tuipulotu, G Chapman, H Luscombe, J Bryant, B Breeze, C Warlow, G Cooper, A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, I Gough, P Sidoli, A Hall, M Owen, J Forster (captain). Replacements: A Brown, D Maddocks, G Robinson, B Griffiths, J Ringer, C Sweeney, G Baber. Connacht team: M Mostyn (captain), J Hearty, A Mailei, K Matthews, C McPhillips, D Slemen, C Keane, D McFarland, J Merrigan, A Clarke, C Short, A Farley/ D Gannon, M Swift, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacements: J Fogarty, S Knoop, D Gannon/A Gallagher, B O'Connor, T Tierney, M McHugh, P Warwick. Kick off 7.10pm.