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Benjamin to lead Dragons team against Munster

Dragons head coach Bernard Jackman has named his Dragons team that will face Munster at the Irish Independent Park, with flanker James Benjamin named to captain the side.

Katie Vizard | 02/11/2017

The Welsh Region travel to Cork for Round 8 of the Guinness PRO14, as they look to secure that all important win away from Rodney Parade. 

Following their match against Ospreys, Jackman has made 10 changes to the team that played in the Welsh derby, as four of the Dragons who took part have been named in the Wales Autumn International Squad.

One of those 10 changes is 20-year-old back-row Aaron Wainwright, who has been named in the starting XV against Munster this weekend. He said; It’s been nice to get a couple of games and starting in Newcastle and Russia was a good experience.

“I am just enjoying getting a bit of action in the team and I didn’t expect any of this. I was playing at Cardiff Met last year and was meant to be with Newport RFC but after a couple of injuries I was thrown in at the deep end. I am just trying to work hard, keep my head down and have a couple of good games by making an impact.

“There is a lot of new stuff and I missed a lot of pre-season (due to injury), so I’ve had to learn all the lineouts and structure but I think I am fitting in now.”

He continued; “My first bit of action was 10 minutes at the end against the Blues and it was really, really fast but really, really good.

“Against the Ospreys I came on after 10 minutes and I felt more comfortable and that my fitness was up there. The pace was higher than the previous week in Russia but I think that I fitted in quite well and the work rate of the boys around me spurred me on.

“I wasn’t expecting any of this and when I got called up for the Kings game, even though I didn’t get on, it was just good to be involved.

“Going through the team run and being part of the routine of the match-day squad just makes you want to do it again the next week.”

With Hallam Amos one of those picked in the Wales squad, Will Talbot-Davies is named at fullback in the back three alongside wings Ashton Hewitt and Jared Rosser. The centre partnership has one change made to it as Jack Dixon is joined by Adam Warren, who replaces Tyler Morgan due to injury. The half-backs are all change as Angus O’Brien and Charlie Davies are given the nod, as Sarel Pretorius is named on the bench.

The front row is all change as Gerard Ellis is named as hooker with props Thomas Davies and Lloyd Fairbrother moving from the bench into the starting XV. The second row sees lock Rynard Landman join Joe Davies, as flanker Aaron Wainwright joins James Benjamin and number 8 James Sheekey who gets his first start for the Dragons.

The bench sees the inclusion of Ben Roach, who is set to make his first appearance for the Region, as well as Arwel Robson and Scott Andrews who return from injury. They join Liam Belcher, Luke Garrett, Brok Harris, Sarel Pretorius and Pat Howard.

Dragons team to face Munster

15 Will Talbot-Davies, 14 Ashton Hewitt, 13 Adam Warren, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Jared Rosser, 10 Angus O’Brien, 9 Charlie Davies; 1 Thomas Davies, 2 Gerard Ellis, 3 Lloyd Fairbrother, 4 Joe Davies, 5 Rynard Landman, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 James Benjamin, 8 James Sheekey.

Replacements; Liam Belcher, Luke Garrett, Brok Harris, Scott Andrews, Ben Roach, Sarel Pretorius, Arwel Robson, Pat Howard.

 

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