CAPTAIN Lewis Evans will deputise for injured number eight Ed Jackson in Newport Gwent Dragons’ clash against Guinness PRO12 leaders Munster in Cork.

Jackson is set for a spell on the sidelines after undergoing shoulder surgery so Evans moves from blindside to the base of the scrum with Ollie Griffiths and Nic Cudd getting the nod as flankers.

After a fortnight of Anglo-Welsh Cup action, head coach Kingsley Jones makes seven changes to the XV that lost in Brive in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Centre Tyler Morgan, who missed out on the Wales squad for the Six Nations, comes into midfield while Dorian Jones is preferred to Angus O’Brien as the starting fly-half.

Hooker Rhys Buckley and tighthead Brok Harris are selected in the front row while Matthew Screech, who scored a brace in the loss at Gloucester last weekend, is paired with Rynard Landman in the second row with Cudd getting a start at 7.

Munster have won 12 of their last 13 in all competitions and are boosted by the presence of four Ireland squad members who are not needed for the Six Nations clash in Italy.

Prop Dave Kilcoyne, flanker Tommy O’Donnell, centre Rory Scannell and full-back Andrew Conway all come into the side that edged out Edinburgh in Scotland while wing Darren Sweetnam is back after a knee injury.

Munster: A Conway, D Sweetnam, J Taute, R Scannell, R O’Mahony, T Bleyendaal (captain), D Williams, D Kilcoyne, R Marshall, S Archer, J Kleyn, D Foley, D O’Callaghan, T O’Donnell, J O’Donoghue. Replacements: K O’Bryrne, P McCabe, B Scott, D O’Shea, C Oliver, A Griesel, F Saili, D Goggin.

Dragons: C Meyer, A Hughes, T Morgan, A Warren, P Howard, D Jones, T Knoyle, S Hobbs, R Buckley, B Harris, M Screech, R Landman, O Griffiths, N Cudd, L Evans (captain). Replacements: E Dee, T Davies, L Fairbrother, N Crosswell, H Keddie, S Pretorius, A O’Brien, S Beard.

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)