Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Mark Orders

Sharks v Dragons team news as Ryan rips up team and cavalry return headed by Wales' top Six Nations performer

The cavalry return for the Dragons in the shape of Ross Moriarty, Will Rowlands and Leon Brown for the United Rugby Championship clash with Cell C Sharks on Friday evening (6.30pm UK time).

All three Wales internationals start for the east Wales region as they look to end their South Africa tour on a positive note. Brown did appear off the bench against the Bulls last weekend but now he returns at No. 3 in the run-on side in Durban.

Read more: 'Special' outside-half heading for Wales

Moriarty features at No. 8 with Rowlands packing down at lock. Taine Basham is named among the replacements as the combative Ben Fry, who fronted up impressively against the Bulls, continues at openside.

There are nine changes in all from the team that lost 55-20 in Pretoria.

As well as Moriarty, Rowlands and Brown, Dean Ryan drafts Joe Davies and Greg Bateman into his starting line-up. Rhodri Williams and Josh Lewis take over at half-back, Jordan Olowofela starts on the wing and Ioan Davies comes in for only his second start of the season.

Lewis will be making his 50th Dragons appearance, while Rowlands will be looking to build on strong form in the Six Nations which saw him acclaimed as Wales' best-performing player.

The Dragons haven’t won since October, a run spanning 11 games, and even though the Sharks lost at home to Edinburgh last weekend director of rugby Ryan is still expecting a stern test.

“Sharks have a huge set piece, huge driving line out, huge midfield and huge kicking game,” said Ryan.

“Things that we had challenges with last week will be challenges again this week. We must work out how we can be smart and how we can impose ourselves within the game.

“It’s been great to have the Wales internationals join us in camp,” he added. “Some have had game time and come ready, others haven’t so it’s about integrating them back in.

“These two weeks have been about getting us ready for the most consistent run of games we will face this year at the end of this season.

“Some of our internationals play this week and some will be back playing over the next few weeks.”

Dragons : Ioan Davies, Jared Rosser, Adam Warren, Jack Dixon, Jordan Olowofela, Josh Lewis, Rhodri Williams; Greg Bateman, Elliot Dee, Leon Brown, Joe Davies, Will Rowlands, Harri Keddie (c), Ben Fry, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: Taylor Davies, Aki Seiuli, Mesake Doge, Huw Taylor, Taine Basham, Lewis Jones, Will Reed, Jordan Williams

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.