DRAGONS fly-half Will Reed will pull the strings for Newport RFC in their home Super Rygbi Cymru clash with RGC on Saturday afternoon.

The playmaker, who won the Premiership Cup with the Black and Ambers in 2022, featured off the bench in last weekend’s derby defeat at Pontypool but makes his first start of the season at Spytty Park.

It promises to be a lively half-back partnership as he is joined in the XV by fellow Dragon Che Hope while hall of fame winger Elliot Frewen also comes into the back line.

Props Harry Fry and Ollie Drake, promising lock Nick Thomas and flanker Josh Reid come into the pack.

Dragons loosehead Josh Reynolds will make his return from a dead leg – unfortunately timed as it denied him United Rugby Championship opportunities – as a replacement.

He is joined on the bench by tighthead Garin Harris, flanker Rhys Jenkins and outside back David Richards, an influential trio who all make welcome returns after injury.

Newport are determined to avoid a hat-trick of defeats after losing to Premiership champions Llandovery and then Pooler.

RGC are also at risk of a hat-trick – the north Walians have already lost in Gwent this season when beaten at Pontypool Park and Eugene Cross Park.

TOUGH: Rory Harries comes into the Ebbw Vale XV to face a Carmarthen Quins side who are strong on home soilTOUGH: Rory Harries comes into the Ebbw Vale XV to face a Carmarthen Quins side who are strong on home soil (Image: NCR Photography)

Second-placed Ebbw Vale have had a superb first block of SRC and will aim to finish with a sixth win when they travel to Carmarthen Quins.

The Steelmen were impressive winners at Bridgend last weekend so boss Jason Strange unsurprisingly keeps changes to a minimum.

Rory Harries is in for Jon Evans at scrum-half while up front there is a back row rejig with Ben Main starting at openside and Canada international Sion Parry shifting to number eight.

The tight five is unchanged after laying the foundations in recent successes but Ebbw will need to be at their best against a Quins side who have won all three games in Carmarthen so far, beating Swansea, leaders Cardiff (the only side to do so) and Pontypool.

Newport: Ioan Davies; Lloyd Lewis, Jonathan Morris, Chay Foster-Smith, Elliot Frewen; Will Reed, Che Hope; Harry Fry, Wade Langley, Ollie Drake, Nick Thomas, Barny Langton-Cryer, Josh Skinner, Josh Reid, Ben Roach (captain).

Replacements: Tyler Olding, Josh Reynolds, Garin Harris, Rhys Jenkins, Kyle Tayler, Luke Crane, David Richards, Carwyn Penny.

Ebbw Vale: Matt Jones; Harry Rees-Weldon, Cameron Davies, Dom Franchi, Ewan Bowden; Evan Lloyd, Rory Harries; Morgan Williams, Joe Franchi (captain), Adam Williams, Dylan Bartlett, Curtis Gregory, Jack Pope, Ben Main, Sion Parry.

Replacements: TBC.