DRAGONS flanker Aaron Wainwright has been making waves with Wales in training and is “chomping at the bit” to grasp his autumn chance against Tonga on Saturday.

The 21-year-old from Bassaleg was an unused replacement in the autumn opener against Scotland and missed out on the matchday squad versus Australia last weekend.

The flanker, who is seen primarily as a blindside by the national coaches, is set to get his chance against the Tongans and add to the first cap that he won in Argentina last summer.

Wales name their team on Thursday but head coach Warren Gatland is likely tinker with his starting trio of Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty with Wainwright, Ellis Jenkins and Seb Davies all in contention.

“Aaron is one of the players that has impressed massively in training,” said forwards coach Robin McBryde.

“In the games blocks that we play (in training) he has really come to the fore and is chomping at the bit, along with one or two others.

“That’s what being successful as a team does, it makes all the other players hungrier and they want to improve on their own game in order to push their case further. Aaron is not going to be very far away on Saturday.”

Cory Hill is in the running to be captain against the Tongans after impressing when sharing the leadership with Ellis Jenkins last summer.

The lock could be Alun Wyn Jones’ deputy at Principality Stadium and may also be tried in the back row in the closing stages as Wales look towards Japan 2019.

“We are going to have to carry four or five either second rows or back rows,” said McBryde. “It’s about being able to chop and change, putting certain players in unaccustomed positions and seeing how they go.

“Cory Hill at blindside is definitely an option for us, he may not start there but may well figure there during the game at some stage.

“We have got more than that option but the energy he brought off the bench (was pleasing); he showed some great footballing skills in the wide channel, very good composure on the ball and some of his lineout calling was excellent.

“To have that a player of Cory’s calibre to come off the bench was excellent and he has got a good enough engine and good enough footballing skills to do that role at 6 should we give him the opportunity.”