NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have signed Ben John on loan from the Ospreys with the centre slotting straight into midfield for tomorrow’s Guinness Pro12 clash with Glasgow.

The 23-year-old has headed east following an injury crisis that sees Pat Leach, Ross Wardle, Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan on the sidelines while the management have decided not to risk Ashley Smith, who has only just returned to full training.

John will partner Dorian Jones, who is usually a fly-half, in midfield against the in-form Warriors with 17-year-old Barney Nightingale providing cover on the bench.

South African lock Rynard Landman skippers the side in the absence of full-back Lee Byrne while experienced former Wales internationals Richie Rees and Rhys Thomas get the nod at scrum-half and hooker respectively.

Tom Prydie comes in for Byrne, who suffered a shoulder injury in last week’s 17-15 loss to the Ospreys, with Hallam Amos moving to full-back.

Cory Hill comes in for Ian Gough in the second row while 19-year-old Angus O’Brien starts at fly-half.

Hooker/prop Hugh Gustafson covers loosehead while lock Matthew Screech and Wales Under-20s pair Luc Jones and Ashton Hewitt, a scrum-half and wing respectively, are also set for their first Pro12 action of the season off the bench.

Dragons: H Amos, T Prydie, B John, D Jones, A Brew, A O’Brien, R Rees, B Stankovich, R Thomas, L Fairbrother, C Hill, R Landman, L Evans, N Cudd, T Faletau. Replacements: E Dee, H Gustafson, D Way, M Screech, A Powell, L Jones, A Hewitt, B Nightingale.

Glasgow: S Hogg, T Seymour, A Dunbar, P Horne, DTH van der Merwe, D Weir, N Matawalu, G Reid, K Bryce, E Murray, T Swinson, L Nakarawa, R Harley, T Holmes, J Strauss (captain). Replacements: F Brown, A Allan, R de Klerk, J Eddie, C Fusaro, A Ashe, H Pyrgos, L Jones.