INTERIM head coach Filo Tiatia is experiencing the return of selection headaches as he mulls over his first Dragons team for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship derby at Cardiff.
The defence coach had a large say in the XVs for the first block of the campaign but now he has the final judgement after the exit of boss Dai Flanagan.
"This is not my first rodeo,” declared the former head coach of Toyota Verblitz and Sunwolves in Japan.
Here are the biggest calls ahead of the clash at the Arms Park (kick-off 5.15pm), with the line-ups announced at midday on Friday...
FULL-BACK
Will Saturday be a big chance for promising prospect Huw Anderson at 15?
Angus O’Brien is the best full-back in the squad but played the last game of the first block at Connacht as a fly-half.
If he stays there to pull the strings at the expense of Lloyd Evans then that could lead to an opportunity for Anderson, who is highly rated and was invited to train with Wales at the start of the autumn campaign.
The 20-year-old was released from Wales duty in the Under-20s Six Nations to make his Dragons debut at Ulster last season.
He then featured in pre-season and, after continuing to shine for Pontypool in Super Rygbi Cymru, played in the recent development fixtures against the Scarlets and Ospreys.
Rio Dyer, fresh from scoring against South Africa, and Jared Rosser are in pole position for the starts out wide with Ashton Hewitt nearing a return from ruptured knee ligaments suffered at the end of last year.
“Ashton has been awesome, and this week was one of his best training days with the group,” said Tiatia. “We’re really excited about Ashton and he’s building confidence every day, just being in the environment.”
SCRUM-HALF
Rhodri Williams has returned from Test duty and could be joined in the 23 by Morgan Lloyd or Che Hope.
The pair of 22-year-olds, childhood friends from Hollybush, have been putting the heat on with some lively SRC performances and in the development fixtures.
Dane Blacker made a promising start to the campaign but his form dipped and he was poor at Connacht last time out.
That could lead to a chance for Lloyd, who is slightly ahead of Hope after he suffered an ankle injury in the summer.
The promising 9 has made two Dragons appearances – against the Stormers and Ospreys last season – and could add to that in the capital.
BACK ROW
Tiatia’s former position and an area of strength; some quality players will have to miss out.
Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harri Keddie, Taine Basham and Ryan Woodman have now been joined by fit-again Aaron Wainwright.
The Wales star was left out of the final game of the autumn series against South Africa and the Dragons could benefit from that, with the number eight having blown away some cobwebs against Fiji and Australia.
Wainwright, Lewis-Hughes and Keddie with Basham adding energy from the bench? Perhaps both him and Woodman to come on.
This fixture looks to be too soon for summer signing Solomone Funaki, who is yet to feature because of an infection following knee surgery.
“The S&C coaches are working closely with him and the medical team, and it's just making sure that when he does get an opportunity, that he returns safely,” said Tiatia.
“He hasn't played for a little while, but we have a clear plan on how we integrate him, but it's based on our medical team saying when that will be.”
LOCK
Ben Carter started all six fixtures in the first block of the season but will now be out until February because of a knee injury suffered on Wales duty.
Matthew Screech, Steve Cummins and George Nott are the leading specialist options with Joe Davies having had the chance to stake a claim as captain in the development fixtures.
Australian second rower Cummins had a frustrating first block of the season because of a hand injury against Hartpury in a friendly while Nott suffered a blow to the shoulder in the opening stages at Leinster in round two.
Flanker Lewis-Hughes and Woodman can also play lock, which might influence Tiatia's bench.
Possible Dragons XV
Anderson; Dyer, Westwood, Owen, J Rosser; O’Brien, R Williams; Martinez, Coghlan, Brown, Screech, Cummins, Lewis-Hughes, Keddie, Wainwright.
Replacements: Benjamin, Seiuli, Coleman, Nott, Basham, Lloyd, L Evans, Wilson.
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