JASON Tovey’s hopes of making the Wales squad for the autumn internationals have taken a massive knock after he was left out of the Newport Gwent Dragons team to face the Scarlets in tonight’s big Magners League Welsh derby against the Scarlets.

Tovey was one of four Dragons players Wales coach Warren Gatland was watching ahead of naming the squad on Sunday, the others being Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate and Joe Bearman (now injured).

But Dragons coach Paul Turner has preferred Martyn Thomas at full back for tonight’s proverbial eight-pointer against big rivals the Scarlets.

“Martyn is the form player at the moment, it’s as simple as that,” said Turner. “But it was a tight decision. Jason is a very good player, he picked up an injury and Martyn has taken his chance.

“Jason will get on the field at some time, it’s a good problem for us to have. He needs to get some form back, his injury knocked him back a bit, but he’s a class player and that is something which is pretty permanent.”

Tovey was chosen to go on Wales’ tour to North America at the end of last season, along with fellow youngsters Lydiate and Lewis Evans plus Charteris, but they all had to pull out because of the Dragons’ Heineken Cup play-off against Calvisano in Italy.

Tovey began the season in pole position, but then got injured and Thomas took his opportunity, showing his pace in attack, though occasionally fallible in defence, especially in last week’s Heineken Cup clash against Glasgow.

He nabbed the Dragons’ third try when he fastened on to a Wayne Evans chip over the top and outpaced the Glasgow cover.

Tovey had still been expected to regain his place in the side for tonight’s east-west battle but Turner has decided to go with Thomas which means the 20-year-old will have to wait a bit longer for his Wales chance.

Turner gives Hoani MacDonald his first start of the season after a serious groin injury ruled regular Joe Bearman out for at least six week, a specialist this week declaring he needed to rest.

MacDonald made a delayed start to the season because of a shoulder operation during the summer and has had to be content with a replacement’s role for the last four games, unable to secure a place in the starting line-up because of the form of locks Luke Charteris, Rob Sidoli and Adam Jones plus blindside flanker Dan Lydiate.

The Dragons won’t have a specialist No 8 on duty and the likelihood is that openside Gavin Thomas, a real terrier but small in stature, will play there at scrum time, especially as he has occupied that position for Wales.

Two changes in the back division involve the recall of Tom Riley and Richard Fussell.

Centre Riley returns after taking a break last week, though former Scarlet Matthew Watkins is on the bench and in the 22 for the first time since joining the Dragons in the summer. He is fit after having a hip operation which was followed by an abdominal strain, and if he goes on it will be against his former team.

Fussell steps straight back in after being laid low by a virus for much of last week.

Skipper Tom Willis is included for the first time since the opening game of the season, as predicted this week, having recovered from a torn calf muscle, though it’s tough on Steve Jones who has deputised really well. The only other change up front, apart from the inclusion of MacDonald, is the recall of Rob Sidoli at lock.

Dragons team: M Thomas, A Brew, T Riley, A Smith, R Fussell, J Arlidge, W Evans, H Gustafson, T Willis (captain), P Bracken, R Sidoli, L Charteris, D Lydiate, H MacDonald, G Thomas. Replacements: S Jones, G Robinson, A Jones, L Evans, J Tovey, M Watkins, D Lee.