JACK Dixon will captain a youthful Newport Gwent Dragons side in this afternoon’s pre-season friendly against Ealing Trailfinders.

The Wales hopeful will lead out Kingsley Jones’ side in the encounter at their training base in Ystrad Mynach (kick-off 3pm) as prepares for a crucial personal season after sitting out much of 2015/16 after a career-threatening kidney injury.

The management give opportunities to those who didn’t start in the 38-28 victory against Cardiff Blues at Rodney Parade last weekend; giving a chance to stake a claim for a spot in the Guinness Pro12 opener at Ulster on Friday, September 2.

Wales Under-20s wing George Gasson gets a chance to impress while young outside centre Barney Nightingale partners Dixon in midfield.

Former Wales wing Aled Brew, who was frozen out for much of last season, wears 11 while Angus O’Brien and Charlie Davies pull the strings at half-back after coming off the bench last weekend.

Ashley Sweet partners Matthew Screech in the second row after earning a full-time deal thanks to his exploits with Ebbw Vale while Ed Jackson gets the chance to impress, and put pressure on captain Lewis Evans for a Belfast start, at number eight.

The management have given all their squad an opportunity to impress in pre-season with just one more game, Exeter at Rodney Parade on Friday, before their date at Ravenhill.

“It’s a perfect opportunity to get a look at them, we’ve had a large squad training but now they get a chance to get out there and impress,” said backs coach Shaun Connor.

“It’s only fair to give the whole squad a chance and the beauty is that the first half hour against the Blues was as good as I’ve seen the Dragons play for a while, so the boys will have to perform well if they are to put their hands up for selection against Exeter and then Ulster.”

Former Dragons scrum-half Alex Walker starts for Ealing while the Trailfinders include hooker/flanker Arthur Ellis and Will Harries on the bench against their former region along with ex-Cross Keys utility back James Cordy-Redden.

The friendly takes place at the region’s training base in Ystrad Mynach and is free for season ticket holders, who must have a match ticket from the Dragons ticket office.

Entry costs £10 for adults, £5 for concessions and £2 for under-16s. There is no parking at the ground.

Dragons: GR Jones, G Gasson, B Nightingale, J Dixon (captain), A Brew, A O’Brien, C Davies, K Bale, R Buckley, S Knight, M Screech, A Sweet, H Keddie, J Benjamin, E Jackson.

Replacements: D Harris, L Garrett, L Fairbrother, J Davies, J Thomas, L Jones, A Robson, L Lewis, S Hobbs, H Williams, L Phillips, J Skinner, S Andrews

Ealing Trailfinders: L Daniels, R Crane, A Jenkins, J Munro, Curtis Wilson, J Bentley, A Walker, J Gibbons, M Cornish, W Davis, C Jones, L Jones, W Ryan I Grieve, M Bright (captain). Replacements: N Lancuba, H Casson, M Macfalane, A Ellis, C York, L Carter, B Ward, J Cordy-Redden, Callum Wilson, P Chesters, W Harries.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)