Taulupe Faletau: Wales given boost as number eight returns for Cardiff against Dragons

Cardiff have started the season with two wins in three games and lie fourth in the URC table.

Dragons have gone 20 games without winning a league match since defeating Ospreys in September 2024 but van Zyl is wary of their local rivals.

“It’s a Welsh derby, which are always tight affairs and Rodney Parade is a tough place to go,” said van Zyl.

“The Dragons rotated their team a bit last week, so they will be fresh and hugely motivated to take us on.

“They will throw everything at us, but we are excited by the challenge.”

Dragons: O’Brien (co-capt); Dyer, Owen, Ackerman, Inisi; de Beer, R Williams; W Jones, Coghlan, Hunt, S Davies, Carter (co-capt), Lewis-Hughes, Beddall, Wainwright.

Replacements: Burrows, Martinez, D Lewis, Screech, Woodman, N Armstrong, C Evans, Anderson.

Cardiff: Winnett; Adams, Beetham, B Thomas, Bowen; Sheedy, A Davies; Domachowski, Belcher (capt), Assiratti, McNally, Nott, Mann, D Thomas, Faletau.

Replacements: E Lloyd, Southworth, Sebastian, Thornton, Lawrence, Basham, Mulder, I Lloyd.

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)

Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (WRU), Adam Jones (WRU)

TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR).