NEWPORT Gwent Dragons bring back some of their big guns for tomorrow’s LV Cup-tie against the Scarlets at Rodney Parade which will put them into only their second semi-final if they win.

Skipper Tom Willis and Wales lock Luke Charteris, who stood down last week against Sale, both return to stiffen the pack while first choice scrum half Wayne Evans also returns to the fray.

It shows the Dragons’ intent and their determination not to let the possibility of a last four place slip from their grasp.

Back from injury is loose head prop Hugh Gustafson which is timely given the blow to the head Phil Price suffered at Sale which rules him out.

A further change from the side who rocked Sale, at one stage scoring 28 unanswered points, is the inclusion of Andrew Coombs at blindside flanker.

It means Joe Bearman moves to No 8 after showing signs of his old verve and style in his eagerly awaited return at Sale while Martyn Thomas and Matthew Watkins, who also came back from long term injury and illness, start for the second week running.

Evans is the only change in the back division, replacing namesake Jonathan Evans who is with the Wales Under 20s.

USA Eagles scrum half Mike Petrie could finally make his first appearance for the Dragons, coming off the bench, since joining from Sale while Lloyd Burns is also a replacement after Steve Jones injured a shoulder last week.

Assistant coach Darren Edwards said, “It’s great to be coming into a home game on the back of an away win and playing for semi-final qualification. Last Friday was a fantastic team performance, we played together well as a unit but also on an individual level players took their chance to line up for the region and put in impressive performances.

“We saw a step up in the competition for places which is driving the players. The fact that the backline is pretty much the same shows the quality of the boys who played at Sale.”

Matthew Jones remains at outside half after kicking 13 points at Sale, but Jason Tovey, likely to go on at some stage, stage expressed the team’s view when he said, “It’s been a few years since the crowd had something to cheer about, so his is good for the whole region.”

Dragons: M Thomas, A Hughes, M Watkins, P Leach, A Brew, M Jones, W Evans, H Gustafson, T Willis (captain), P Palmer, L Charteris, R Sidoli, A Coombs, J Bearman, L Evans. Replacements: L Burns, S Roberts, D Way, S Morgan, H Ellis, M Petrie, J Tovey, A Smith.

Scarlets: D Evans, D Daniel, N Reynolds, S Williams, J Ajuwa, O Williams, G Davies, P John (capt), R Lawrence, R Thomas, A Powell, N White, A Shingler, N Cudd, D Welch. Replacements: C Hawkins, S Hopkins, D Howells, D Eager, M Gilbert, M Roberts, J Lewis, R James.