TONIGHT’S mouth-watering Magners League battle between Newport Gwent Dragons and Cardiff Blues will play a big part in Wales coach Warren Gatland’s selection plans for the summer games against South Africa and New Zealand.

He intends picking most of his leading players against the world champion Springboks, and will take all but one or two of them to New Zealand for the two Tests in June.

But there will be room for a few youngsters and Gatland has already shown he’s not afraid to pitch them in, most notably teenager Tom Prydie.

The winger became the youngest player ever to wear the Welsh jersey in the final Six Nations game against Italy.

The Dragons, in particular, have a number of highly promising players like Jason Tovey, Martyn Thomas, Will Harries, Aled Brew, Hugh Gustafson, Toby Faletau and Dan Lydiate, though Lydiate has been ruled out for three or four months with damaged ankle ligaments and Gatland will see the potential caps in person tonight.

Some are already in his plans while the Blues have young guns Sam Warburton, Tom James and Bradley Davies in the same category.

Impressive performances tonight will count heavily in favour of a few players with the big games coming up in June very much in mind.

“It’s a big game, there’s a lot to play for for some players on both sides,” said Gatland who is sure to be present at Rodney Parade for the second time in five days.

Harries, fresh from his hat-trick of tries against Edinburgh, taking his tally to eight in seven games, and Gustafson are already on Gatland’s radar.

“I’m not a bruiser, my ability is on the front foot keeping up with the new era game,” said Gustafson, a west Walian who has just bought his first house on the edge of Duffryn.

“I’m 22 and Pat Palmer is 21 in a position where most people don’t mature till their late 20s or early 30s whereas we’ve got one of the youngest front rows in British rugby.”

Despite his tender years Gustafson has packed a lot in, starting with Wales Under 16s (as a tight head), then on to Wales Youth, captaining Wales Under 18s and the Under 19s to the Grand Slam and finally leading Wales Under 20s when future Dragons teammate Ashley Smith was injured.

“My first goal is to play for the Dragons, but this season is one of the best I’ve had (he has missed just one of the 26 fixtures) but if it happens it happens,” he said when asked about his Wales chances. But I’m only 22 and props can go on until they are 34. I just want to keep playing well, it’s great to be mentioned up there with the rest.”

He puts his ability to keep his feet firmly on the ground down to his parents. “My mother is a teacher and my father a policeman who told me not to be a lad but to treat people with respect,” he said. “With the captaincy comes a different responsibility. Tom (Willis) is excellent the way he speaks to the public off the field.”

Harries has already said his ultimate goal is to play for Wales having already appeared for the sevens team. “If we go in with as much energy as we did against Edinburgh the game against the Blues should be good to watch,” he said. “I want to play well for the Dragons first, we go into every game wanting to do well and score tries.”