Newport Gwent Dragons centre Ashley Smith, who has been out of action since the match against the Blues at the start of the month, has recovered from injury to be included in the Dragons 26-man squad to face Italian side Calvisano in the Heineken Cup playoff on Friday (8pm UK time).
Welsh quartet Luke Charteris, Jason Tovey, Lewis Evans and Dan Lydiate, who trained with the national side last week are also named for the Italian job.
“Calvisano have a strong squad and will be a big challenge,” said Dragons Head Coach Paul Turner. “But we are ready for this match. I feel that we have made good progress this season, through both the players we brought into the side and who have come up through the academy, which was shown in the four guys getting selected for the Welsh squad this summer.
“It’s not ideal of course to be playing this game, but we are where we are and we are determined to do everything we can in order to be playing Heineken Cup rugby next season.”
Dragons Squad for Calvisano
Backs
Aled Brew, Alex Walker, Ashley Smith, Gareth Wyatt, James Arlidge, Jason Tovey, Kevin Morgan, Martyn Thomas, Phillip Dollman, Rhodri Gomer- Davies, Richard Fussell, Rory Sidey, Shaun Connor, Wayne Evans,
Forwards
Adam Black, Andrew Hall, Craig Hill, Dan Lydiate, Grant Webb, Hoani MacDonald, Huw Gustafson, Lewis Evans, Luke Charteris, Nigel Hall, Rhys Thomas, Steve Jones, Tom Willis.
Welsh quartet Luke Charteris, Jason Tovey, Lewis Evans and Dan Lydiate, who trained with the national side last week are also named for the Italian job.
“Calvisano have a strong squad and will be a big challenge,” said Dragons Head Coach Paul Turner. “But we are ready for this match. I feel that we have made good progress this season, through both the players we brought into the side and who have come up through the academy, which was shown in the four guys getting selected for the Welsh squad this summer.
“It’s not ideal of course to be playing this game, but we are where we are and we are determined to do everything we can in order to be playing Heineken Cup rugby next season.”
Dragons Squad for Calvisano
Backs
Aled Brew, Alex Walker, Ashley Smith, Gareth Wyatt, James Arlidge, Jason Tovey, Kevin Morgan, Martyn Thomas, Phillip Dollman, Rhodri Gomer- Davies, Richard Fussell, Rory Sidey, Shaun Connor, Wayne Evans,
Forwards
Adam Black, Andrew Hall, Craig Hill, Dan Lydiate, Grant Webb, Hoani MacDonald, Huw Gustafson, Lewis Evans, Luke Charteris, Nigel Hall, Rhys Thomas, Steve Jones, Tom Willis.
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