NEWPORT Gwent Dragons centre Tyler Morgan says he doesn’t just want more caps after earning a Wales recall, he needs them.

The 21-year-old from Caerleon is currently in Auckland with the international squad ahead of Friday’s Test against Tonga at Eden Park.

Morgan is an outsider for the XV this summer, with captain Jamie Roberts likely to be partnered by Scott Williams in midfield, but could well feature on the bench given his ability to also cover the wing.

He did his chances of selection no harm with a hat-trick in the conditioning game against RGC 1404 in Colwyn Bay at the start of the month and wants to give head coach Robin McBryde food for thought.

Morgan won the last of his three caps in the World Cup quarter-final defeat to South Africa two years ago and after missing out on the Six Nations squad is relishing being back in the mix.

“I’ve definitely have a hunger,” he said. “It’s been on my mind that I have got to get in the team and I need more caps – it’s not a want, it’s a need.

“I am just trying everything that I can do to get in the matchday squad and give the coaches a selection headache. Hopefully scoring a few tries against RGC put my name in their minds for the Test squad.

“I still wasn’t happy with my performance because there were a few stupid errors, but it’s improving and I am starting to get a bit of running back in my game thanks to being injury-free this season.

“I’ll keep knocking on the door and hope for that chance, then if it comes I have to make sure that I take it by showing what I can do at the top level.”

Morgan enjoyed a strong season at Rodney Parade, making 24 appearances out of a possible 32 and avoiding the niggles that have hindered his progress since his 2013 debut.

In December 2014 he was given a national dual contract, which expires at the end of next season, but at the start of the year suffered the burn of a first Wales axe.

“I knew that the NDC didn’t guarantee selection and this proves that point,” he said in February.

“It’s all on performances and I suppose this makes a bit of an example as well to other boys in Wales that you have to perform to get in the squad.”

The Lions selection of Jonathan Davies helped provide another shot and the Dragons man is determined to grasp it with a clash against Samoa in Apia coming seven days after the Tonga Test.

“Being back in this environment is going to help me,” said Morgan, who played for Wales in the midweek clash against the Chiefs in New Zealand last summer.

“It just ups your standards and gives you something to aim for. It’s really good for my game to be around the likes of Jamie Roberts.”

Wales name their team at 7am tomorrow.