NEWPORT Gwent Dragons’ highly regarded academy centre Tyler Morgan could feature for Cross Keys this weekend as they look to maintain their excellent start in the British and Irish Cup.

The 6ft 2in and 15st 10lb Wales Under-18s midfielder is on the bench tonight for a Dragons development team who play away at Oxford University.

He has been a regular for Newport this season and impressing for the Black and Ambers, who are without a game this weekend, scoring three tries in four Principality Premiership clashes.

Keys travel to Ealing this weekend to face another English Championship side after they overcame a tough Moseley outfit 20-16 in the British and Irish Cup at Pandy Park last week.

They could also feature other Dragons players on Saturday in loosehead prop Aaron Coundley, tighthead Nathan Buck, outside half Steffan Jones, who is due to start in that same match against Oxford University this evening, and back rower Jevon Groves who missed last week’s win for the Gwent Valleys side with an ankle injury.

Two club regulars, regional academy prospects Angus O’Brien (outside half) and Scott Matthews (openside flanker) are also expected to play.

The Dragons are making up to 12 of their players available to the 2012 finalists in this season’s cross-border competition.

Keys director of rugby Jonathan Westwood knows London side Ealing will be no pushovers despite their poor start to the season which has resulted in four heavy league defeats out of four so far as well as last weekend’s 49-8 defeat away to holders Leinster A in their opening British and Irish Cup encounter.

“Ealing may be struggling this season but they will be a desperate for a win to kick start their season,” he said. “They got a hammering out in Ireland on Saturday, but that’s no shame.

“We know they’ve got a strong link with the Harlequins (Aviva Premiership side) just like Moseley have with Northampton.”

Keys are confident their influential centre Phil Williams will play some part this weekend as he hopes to overcome a shoulder injury.

But fellow midfielder Aled James could be out for up to six weeks after tearing his hamstring early on in the Moseley triumph.