LOOSEHEAD Ryan Bevington will make his first start since December in the Dragons’ Guinness PRO14 encounter with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein tomorrow (kick-off 6.35pm).
The 30-year-old former Wales front rower is one of four changes to the XV that drew 18-18 with the Southern Kings last week, a result that ended a run of 42 successive losses on the road in the league but stretched the region’s winless streak.
Wales hooker Elliot Dee and lock Lewis Evans return from rib and calf injuries respectively while full-back Jordan Williams is rewarded for a lively try-scoring performance off the bench in Port Elizabeth.
Bevington made his return against the Kings after three months out with a concussion suffered in the win against the Ospreys in Newport on December 30. He swaps places with South African prop Brok Harris.
Dee comes in for Richard Hibbard and also captains the side instead of the former Lions forward, who misses out after suffering a hamstring strain against the Kings.
Evans comes straight into the XV after missing the last three games because of a calf problem with Max Williams dropping to the bench.
Jordan Williams replaces Jared Rosser with former Springbok Zane Kirchner moving to the wing from 15 while Wales sevens international Will Talbot-Davies comes onto the bench.
Rhodri Williams has passed a fitness test after suffering an ankle injury last week to start at scrum-half.
Head coach Ceri Jones said: “We’ve had a really good week of preparation in Cape Town and now look to take that momentum into the weekend’s game.
“We know the Cheetahs are a dangerous team and are similar to the Kings in many ways. They like a fast, offloading game and will want to keep the ball in play. Their pack of forwards are also a threat that we must match.
“The game is being played at altitude so we need to factor that in and try and control the tempo of the game as much as we can.
“We’ve all enjoyed the trip to South Africa and come together closer as a squad. But it’s vital we now look to perform in the final game in Bloemfontein and secure that away win we all want.”
Tomorrow’s game is the final chance to stop the embarrassing winless streak on the road in the PRO14, which goes back to a success in Treviso in March, 2015, stretching into next season.
The Dragons face a Cheetahs team that sit sixth in Conference A and are fresh from a 31-14 loss to the Ospreys at Free State Stadium.
Last season the South Africans won 29-17 at Rodney Parade after overturning a 10-3 half-time deficit and they went on to qualify for the play-offs.
Of the 29-man touring party centre Jarryd Sage, scrum-half Rhodri Davies and loosehead Josh Reynolds are the only players not to be selected, although young flanker Lennon Greggains was an unused replacement last week.
Cheetahs: M Jaer, T Meyer (captain), B Janse van Rensburg, D Swanepoel, R Maxwane, T Schoeman, S Venter, C Marais, J Dweba, L de Bruin, W Steenkamp, JP du Preez, G Olivier, A Nonkontwana, H Venter. Replacements: M van der Merwe, A Coetzee, R Venter, S Manjezi, J Wiese, R Paige, Fouche, D Adonis
Dragons: J Williams, Z Kirchner, A Warren, J Dixon, H Amos, J Lewis, R Williams, R Bevington, E Dee (captain), L Brown, M Screech, L Evans, A Wainwright, T Basham, R Moriarty. Replacements: R Lawrence, B Harris, L Fairbrother, M Williams, H Taylor, T Knoyle, J Tovey, W Talbot-Davies.
Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
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