NEWPORT Gwent Dragons could be without as many as ELEVEN first choice players for their final Magners League game of the season against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium a week on Friday.
And several more likely to feature on the bench will also be unavailable, meaning the Dragons will field a shadow team including a number of untried youngsters for the derby clash when the Ospreys will seek to avenge their defeat at Rodney Parade last month.
There will be nothing on the game for the Dragons, however, as they are safely in the Heineken Cup next season and can’t realistically make the play-offs.
The Ospreys, on the other hand, will want to nail a bonus point win to be sure of a home draw in the play-offs by topping the table or finishing second - they currently trail leaders Leinster by three points.
Backs definitely out for the Dragons next week are full back Martyn Thomas who broke and dislocated his ankle in a major incident against Cardiff Blues last Friday and centres Ashley Smith (foot) and Matthew Watkins (hamstring) while Aled Brew (ankle) and outside half Jason Tovey (head) are struggling while James Arlidge has returned to Japan to play in World Cup qualifiers.
Up front prop Hugh Gustafson (groin), hookers Steve Jones (hip) and Duane Goodfield (knee), locks Luke Charteris (neck) and Adam Jones (hand) plus back row pair Dan Lydiate (ankle) and Joe Bearman (groin) are out of the running while prop Pat Palmer (shoulder) and back row forwards Andrew Coombs (shoulder) and Grant Webb (knee) are doubts.
Thomas and Lydiate may struggle to make the first match of next season and coach Paul Turner will not want to risk anyone aggravating injuries to in any way jeopardise their summer conditioning programme or pre-season training.
On that basis he is sure to consider putting untried youngsters in, no matter what the seriousness of the test facing them at the Liberty Stadium may be.
The likes of Lydiate, Tovey and Toby Faletau are among a host of players who have come through really well.
There are others in the pipeline, among them outstanding young prop prospect Aaron Coundley and back row forward James Thomas who have both been with Ebbw Vale, now relegated from the Premier Division.
And two teenage half backs are also impressing, outside half Lewis Robling after joining Newport from Newbridge and scrum half Jon Evans, a Dragons academy prospect with Pontypool, both of whom are only 18.
Meanwhile, an announcement is expected in the near future about a new grandstand expected to seat around 3,000 on the Argus Terrace side of the Rodney Parade ground.
It would also involve hospitality boxes and members area, though there are restrictions about what they can do as the site is immediately in front of houses on Corporation Road. But the corporate boxes will bring in much needed revenue.
A local company will be doing the construction while chairman Martyn Hazell and former benefactor Tony Brown are heavily involved financially.
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