CENTRE Tom Griffiths will make his Dragons debut in tomorrow’s European Challenge Cup opener against Castres at Rodney Parade (kick-off 3pm).
The 23-year-old from Gloucester signed from European champions Saracens in June but had an operation on an existing ankle injury the following month.
Griffiths, who qualifies for Wales through his father, has hit his target of an autumn comeback and will go straight into the XV at 12 for the clash with Castres.
His midfield partner is Tyler Morgan as director of rugby Dean Ryan rings the changes following the first block of the Guinness PRO14.
The centres are joined by six new faces to the line-up that started in the 20-7 league defeat against Edinburgh at Murrayfield.
Former Wales prop Aaron Jarvis makes his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury against the Scarlets in January.
In the absence of Ryan Bevington (knee), the 33-year-old slots in at loosehead rather than his preferred tighthead to give a breather to Brok Harris, who is among the replacements.
Lock Max Williams and flanker James Benjamin make their first starts of the season while 21-year-old Ben Fry, an abrasive back rower who scored on his regional debut against Timisoara last season, is set for a first outing of the campaign from the bench.
Luke Baldwin, a summer arrival on loan from Worcester, makes his full debut after three cameos in the PRO14 while Will Talbot-Davies and Dafydd Howells get the nod in the back three.
Hooker Richard Hibbard captains the side in the absence of scrum-half Rhodri Williams, who is rested along with centre Adam Warren, wing Ashton Hewitt and full-back Rhodri Williams.
Dragons: W Talbot-Davies, D Howells, T Morgan, T Griffiths, O Jenkins, S Davies, L Baldwin, A Jarvis, R Hibbard, L Brown, J Davies, M Williams, H Taylor, J Benjamin, T Basham. Replacements: R Lawrence, B Harris, L Fairbrother, M Screech, B Fry, T Knoyle, J Botica, J Dixon.
Castres: B Lapeyre, F Nakosi, F Vialelle, Y David , T Paris, L Radosavljevic (captain), J Fernandez, W de Benedittis, K Firmin, P Fa'anunu, K Gimeno, H N'Kinsi, C Gerondeau, M Vaipulu, A Tulou. Replacements: P Sauzaret, T Stroe, M Tierney, C Samson, A Jelonch, T Fortunel, R Ebersohn, A Batlle,
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
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