Welsh international trio Aaron Wainwright, Elliot Dee and Rhodri Williams all make an immediate return to regional duty when they line-up for the Dragons against Ulster against Ulster in Round 13 of the BKT United Rugby Championship.
You have to go back to the first game of the season or the only URC win this season for the ‘Men of Gwent’ and they go into the final six games of the season hoping to bridge a 17 points gap to their nearest rivals, Zebre.
Ulster will arrive in Newport desperate to pick up a full house of five points as they try to climb back into the top-eight play-off reckoning. It hasn’t been the greatest season to date for them and head coach Richie Murphy knows this will be a game they will be expected to win.
But with their three Welsh players back in harness, and a welcome return to action for the first time since October for Harri Keddie in the back row, there will be new urgency in the home ranks. Keddie will make his 100th appearance in the URC in a powerful looking back row trip that also contains Wainwright and Shane Lewis-Hughes.
Another returnee is Wales lock Matthew Screech, who partners George Nott in the second row, while Cardiff RFC outside half Josh Thomas is selected on the bench after signing up for the remainder of the season.
“Ulster are a good team, so we are looking forward to the challenge. They have a good set piece, big ball carriers like Stuart McCloskey and have threats across the park,” admitted Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia.
“It will be a test for us. We’ve lost a lot of players since the first game with the Ospreys and that’s given opportunities to some other players at this level.
“Some have never played at this level, so they’ve got exposed a bit earlier, which is not a bad thing. Now they have opportunities to keep growing.”
Tiatia is also full praise for the Dragons fans, who keep on turning up at Rodney Parade to roar on their team. He hopes to give them something to really shout about before the season ends.
“The crowd at Rodney Parade have been awesome. They have been really supportive, a great crowd with the way they get behind the team,” added Tiatia.
“It’s no different where we are in terms of the scoreboard, they stay in it. That mentality to stay with their team, it’s one of the greatest things you can experience if you are a player, but also as a staff and as a coach.
“It’s pretty inspiring and the players are really respectful of that. In return the players ensure they don’t give up and give maximum effort.”