LOCK Rynard Landman has been recalled to the Dragons side for their vital Guinness PRO14 fixture against Zebre in Newport tomorrow (kick-off 5.15pm).

The South African was left out of the Rodney Parade region’s final friendly at Gloucester and sat out the opening three rounds of the league season.

The 32-year-old stayed sharp by playing for Newport in the Principality Premiership and his displays in black and amber, along with his attitude in training, have earned a recall to the boilerhouse alongside captain Cory Hill.

Landman replaces Matthew Screech and head coach Bernard Jackman makes three other changes to the side that lost 52-10 to champions Leinster with wing Jared Rosser, flanker Ollie Griffiths and fly-half Arwel Robson coming into the XV.

Rosser’s return is enforced with the speedster coming in for Wales international Hallam Amos, who faces at least a month out with a dislocated elbow suffered in Dublin.

The recalled winger scored a hat-trick against the Italians in L’Aquila in April and crossed five times for the Dragons A against Connacht Eagles last week after missing the start of the campaign because of a hamstring strain.

The 20-year-old from Pontypool ended last season in fine form with seven tries in seven games and joins Dafydd Howells and in-form full-back Jordan Williams, the PRO14’s joint leader for defenders beaten with 14 and fresh from a wonder score in Dublin, in the back three.

The return of Griffiths is expected after the man of the match in the round two win against the Southern Kings was given a breather at the RDS where he was tasked with being an impact sub.

He starts at openside and joins fellow Wales internationals Aaron Wainwright and Ross Moriarty in the back row with Nic Cudd, who was lively against Leinster on his return after missing the whole of last season with ruptured knee ligaments, in reserve.

Robson, who played 12 times last season but had a summer ankle problem, earns a first start of the season at fly-half, the 21-year-old swapping places with Josh Lewis after coming off the bench against the Kings and Leinster.

Wales tighthead Aaron Jarvis, a summer recruit from Clermont Auvergne, is set for a debut as a replacement after recovering rapidly from a pre-season bicep injury.

He replaces fellow international Leon Brown (minor shoulder injury) as back-up to Lloyd Fairbrother.


Dragons: J Williams, D Howells, A Warren, J Dixon, J Rosser, A Robson, R Williams, B Harris, E Dee, L Fairbrother, R Landman, C Hill (captain), A Wainwright, R Moriarty. Replacements: R Hibbard, R Bevington, A Jarvis, B Nansen, N Cudd, T Knoyle, J Lewis, J Sage.

Zebre: F Brummer, M Bellini, G Bisegni, T Castello (captain), E Padovani, C Canna, M Violi, A Lovotti, O Fabiani, D Chistolini, D Sisi, G Biagi (captain), J Tuivaiti, J Meyer, G Licata. Replacements: M Ceciliani, D Rimpelli, G Zilocchi, A Tauyavuca, M Tevi, G Palazzani, T Boni, G Di Giulio.

Referee: Joy Neville (Ireland)