HUGH Gustafson will make his first Guinness Pro12 start of the season in Newport Gwent Dragons’ season finale at title-chasing Munster tomorrow.

The 27-year-old hooker is rewarded for an impressive performance off the bench in last week’s 19-5 win against Edinburgh when he replaced captain Rhys Thomas, who dislocated a finger in the first half.

It will be Gustafson’s third start of the season, the others coming against Newcastle in the Challenge Cup and Exeter in the LV= Cup.

Director of rugby Lyn Jones brings in two other new faces for the clash in Cork (kick-off 3pm) with Dorian Jones returning at fly-half, with Jason Tovey returning to full-back, and Jonathan Evans getting the nod at scrum-half.

Munster currently sit third in the table and will be chasing a bonus point win in their bid to overhaul either the Ospreys or Glasgow to claim a home semi-final.

They are without the injured Peter O’Mahony, Tommy O’Donnell and Simon Zebo but will boast a formidable side at Musgrave Park with Paul O’Connell and Conor Murray leading the charge.

The Dragons cannot improve on their ninth place but Jones is looking for his charges to finish with a flourish after an encouraging second half of the season.

“It’s delivering consistency,” he said. “Munster will have the incentive of getting points for a home semi-final so it’s going to be a huge challenge for us.

“But we’ve got to back ourselves and there is no pressure or expectation on us. The boys just have to go out there and play; open Munster up, get them to play rugby and we will see what happens.”

Munster: F Jones, K Earls, A Smith, D Hurley (captain), R O’Mahony, I Keatley, C Murray, J Ryan, E Guinazu, BJ Botha, B Holland, P O’Connell, D Ryan, P Butler, CJ Stander. Replacements: N Scannell, D Kilcoyne, S Archer, S Dougall, J O’Donoghue, D Williams, JJ Hanrahan, A Conway.

Dragons: J Tovey, T Prydie, T Morgan, J Dixon, H Amos, D Jones, J Evans, B Stankovich, H Gustafson, B Harris, C Hill, R Landman (captain), N Crosswell, N Cudd, T Faletau. Replacements: R Buckley, P Price, L Fairbrother, M Screech, J Benjamin, R Rees, A Hewitt, GR Jones.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)