URC: Dragons make 12 changes for Glasgow ahead of derbies

Dragons end the first block of the season with another Rodney Parade derby against Ospreys.

“It’s a long season and I have been in competitions before where you use the same XV every week and then, when you get to really needing them, they are either broken, tired of fatigued,” said defence coach Dale MacLeod.

“We have to make sure we are managing the group and creating competition. If they are in your squad, you have to give them the opportunity. We have to back our depth.”

Wing Fine Inisi, centre Aneurin Owen and blind-side flanker Ryan Woodman are the only survivors to the XV that faced Sharks.

There are debuts for Wales lock Seb Davies, who suffered a pre-season injury after arriving from Cardiff, and fly-half Jac Lloyd, the younger brother of Wales international Ioan who earned a Dragons contract by helping Newport RFC to the Super Rygbi Cymru title.

Hooker Oli Burrows, tight-head prop Dillon Lewis, lock Levi Douglas and number eight Mackenzie Martin make their first starts while scrum-half Niall Armstrong is poised for a debut off the bench.

MacLeod has challenged the new-look side to build on the performance against Sharks.

“We did some really good stuff to stay in the game and showed that we have some character and fight,” he said.

“I came away a little bit frustrated, like a lot of people, but really proud because we took a step forward and it’s really important we take another.”

Glasgow, who beat Sharks in their opener before being edged out by Benetton in Treviso, give a debut to Scotland lock Alex Craig after his summer move from Scarlets.

The Warriors have won the last six meetings between the sides, five in URC and a 73-33 rout in the last 16 of the 2022-23 Challenge Cup.

Dragons have won twice at Scotstoun – in 2013 when Jason Tovey scored a full house of a try, two conversions, two penalties and a drop goal and in 2020 when Brandon Thomson missed a simple conversion to win it with the last kick.