FORMER Wales hooker Craig Mitchell will captain the Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select XV in their British and Irish Cup clash at Ealing Trailfinders tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

The tighthead is one of a number of experienced senior players dotted throughout the side for Vallis Way with scrum-half Charlie Davies and lock Ashley Sweet making their returns from thumb and chest injuries respectively.

James Thomas starts on the blindside while hooker hooker Darran Harris, lock Joe Davies and fly-half Arwel Robson have played regional rugby this season.

Promising prospect Robson, who is likely to feature for Wales Under-20s in the upcoming Six Nations, will hope to produce the form that saw him take the man of the match honours when the sides met at Cross Keys’ Pandy Park earlier in the tournament.

Ealing took the spoils on that occasion 28-27 despite a hat-trick by Barney Nightingale, who continues in midfield alongside fellow young gun Connor Edwards.

Keys wing Matthew Powell is included for the first time with clubmate Josh Prosser slotting in at full-back while Newport’s John Lavender and Bedwas’ Andrew Waite get the nod at loosehead and number eight respectively.

Ealing feature two former Dragons in their starting line-up in ex-Wales wing Will Harries and Arthur Ellis, who was a hooker at Rodney Parade but now plays openside.

James Cordy-Redden, who headed to the Trailfinders from Cross Keys, is on the left flank while former Newport and Dragons academy scrum-half Josh Davies is among the replacements.

The hosts, who are coached by former Ebbw Vale boss Alex Codling, sit fourth in the English Championship and are unbeaten in the tournament with three wins and one draw.

The Dragons could mathematically still qualify for the quarter-finals but it would take a freak set of results.

Ealing: L Daniels, W Harries, A Jenkins, L Peters, J Cordy-Redden, B Ward, L Carter, W Davies, A Walker, A Penny, H Casson, G Townson (captain), W Ryan, A Ellis, R Smid. Replacements: R Lawrence, J Gibbons, L Thiede, C York, M Bright, J Davies, L Jones.

Dragons PS: J Prosser, J Goodchild, C Edwards, B Nightingale, M Powell, A Robson, C Davies, J Lavender, D Harris, C Mitchell (captain), J Davies, A Sweet, J Thomas, N Hudd, A Waite. Replacements: A Rees, K Bale, C Coleman, H Williams, M Williams, O Davies, J Dixon