Aled Brew is also named in the starting line-up before a summer move abroad and will make his 100th start for the Dragons against the Heineken Cup finalists.
Outside centre Adam Hughes also reaches a landmark for the Dragons as he earns his cap for 50 starts for the region.
The Dragons have retained 17-year-old Monmouth Boys School pupil Hallam Amos at full back and he is joined by fellow 17-year-old Jack Dixon who is named on the bench. Scrum half Jonathan Evans makes it a trio of teenagers in the matchday squad after he was named on the bench. Both Evans and Dixon have recently been named in Danny Wilson’s Wales U20 squad for this summer’s Junior World Championship in South Africa.
Will Harries comes into the side on the wing in place of Tonderai Chavhanga who had minor knee surgery last week on an injury sustained in the Dragons last match against the Ospreys.
Sam Parry is the only other change to the side selected to face the Ospreys as he comes in at hooker for Steve Jones.
Newport Gwent Dragons
15 Hallam Amos 14 Will Harries 13 Adam Hughes 12 Ashley Smith 11 Aled Brew 10 Lewis Robling 9 Wayne Evans; 1 Nathan Williams 2 Sam Parry 3 Nathan Buck 4 Luke Charteris (Capt) 5 Rob Sidoli 6 Danny Lydiate 7 Lewis Evans 8 Toby Faletau
Replacements 16 Steve Jones 17 Phil Price 18 Dan Way 19 Jevon Groves 20 Tom Brown 21 Jonathan Evans 22 Pat Leach 23 Jack Dixon