DORIAN Jones will make his first start of the season in Newport Gwent Dragons' crucial European Rugby Challenge Cup clash with Enisei-STM.

The fly-half has made a pair of appearances off the bench after missing the first half of the season with a groin problem and comes in for the clash with the Russians at Rodney Parade (kick-off 7.30pm).

Jones replaces Angus O'Brien, who is on the bench after starting the last eight, and is one of seven changes to the XV that enjoyed a comfortable 26-8 win against Treviso in the Guinness PRO12 last weekend.

There is one other fresh face in the backs with Jack Dixon slotting into midfield, Adam Warren shifting out to the wing.

The pack is freshened up with loosehead Sam Hobbs, hooker Rhys Thomas, locks Matthew Screech and Rynard Landman and flanker Nic Cudd getting the nod.

Nick Crosswell captains the side in the absence of the rested Lewis Evans and moves from the second row to blindside flanker.

Wing/centre Adam Hughes is poised for a first appearance of the season from the bench after recovering from a head injury suffered in August while promising back row forward Harri Keddie is also among the replacements.

The Dragons need to win with a bonus point to ensure that they will definitely head to Brive on final weeekend with a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The Frenchmen currently have a five-point advantage at the top of Pool Three and host Worcester on Saturday afternoon.

Enisei’s XV features 12 players that played in their 38-18 win against the Dragons in Krasnodar in October plus Latvian skipper Jurijs Baranovs, Samoa international prop Jake Grey and Russia flanker Plavel Butenko.

The hosts will be wary of centre Dmitrii Gerasimov, who scored a brace at Trud Stadium, and experienced fly-half Yury Kushnarev, who kicked five conversions and a penalty.

Dragons: C Meyer, T Prydie, T Morgan, J Dixon, A Warren, D Jones, S Pretorius, S Hobbs, R Thomas, B Harris, M Screech, R Landman, N Crosswell (captain), N Cudd, E Jackson. Replacements: R Buckley, T Davies, L Fairbrother, C Hill, H Keddie, T Knoyle, A O'Brien, A Hughes.

Enisei: R Gaisin, I Kurashov, J Baranovs (captain), Dmitrii Gerasimov, D Simplikevich, Y Kushnarev, A Shcherban, A Polivalov, S Magomedov, J Grey, V Krasylnyk, M Gargalic, M Gachechiladze, P Butenko, A Rudoi. Replacements: N Gasanov, V Morozov, A Musin, S Chernyshev, A Mikhaltsov, K Uzunov, T Halse, V Orlov.​

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)