Groves to lead Dragons (From Campaign Series)

Groves to lead Dragons

12:20pm Friday 7th September 2012 in Sport By Chris Kirwan

JEVON Groves will lead out Newport Gwent Dragons for the first time at Leinster tomorrow evening.

The 24-year-old flanker is given the role in the absence of Lewis Evans, who makes his return from a calf injury on the bench, and his rested deputy Steve Jones.

Groves, who has previously captained Wales sevens, joined in the back row by Hywel Stoddart, who will make his full regional debut at the Royal Dublin Society.

Adam Jones comes in for the injured Andrew Coombs at lock while there is a new front row of Nathan Williams, Sam Parry and Nathan Buck.

There are no changes to the set of three-quarters that got the season off to a flying start in last week’s 37-6 success against Zebre.

LEINSTER: I Nacewa, A Conway, B Macken, N Reid, F Carr, I Madigan, J Cooney, J McGrath, S Cronin, J Hagan, L Cullen (captain), Q Roux, B Marshall, S Jennings, L Auva’a. Replacements: T Sexton, H van der Merwe, M Moore, D Toner, J Murphy, L McGrath, C O’Shea, D Hudson.

DRAGONS: D Evans, W Harries, P Leach, A Tuilagi, T Prydie, S Jones, J Evans, N Williams, S Parry, N Buck, A Jones, I Nimmo, H Stoddart, J Groves (captain), T Faletau. Replacements: A Coundley, H Gustafson, T Ryan, L Evans, T Brown, L Davies, A Smith, H Amos.

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)