PROPS Phil Price and David Young will get the chance to press for a place in the Newport Gwent Dragons squad for Paris when they turn out for Cross Keys in the British and Irish Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The front rowers have not featured for the region this season with tighthead Young having to wait patiently behind Dan Way and Lloyd Fairbrother while loosehead Price has been recovering from a foot injury that forced him to miss last season’s Wales trial match.

They will join forces with Dragons hooker Rhys Buckley against what is likely to be a forthright Doncaster Knights pack at Pandy Park and if they impress then they could come into the mix for the European Rugby Challenge Cup opener against Stade Francais at the Stade Jean Bouin a week on Saturday.

“David has been a bit unlucky because Dan Way and Lloyd Fairbrother have played well so far, he has a chance to stake a claim,” said Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones.

“And I am delighted to see Phil come back to the fore, he’s done well for the Dragons in the past and has real potential.”

The Dragons linked up with Keys players at the region’s Ystrad Mynach training base yesterday to prepare for the Pool Four opener.

Loosehead Luke Garrett, lock Scott Andrews, fly-half Dorian Jones and full-back Geraint Rhys Jones are already Pandy Park regulars and will be joined by Price, Young, Buckley, tighthead Alex Jeffries, scrum-half Luc Jones and wing Ashton Hewitt.

“I am absolutely delighted with the agreement with Cross Keys,” said Jones. “They’ve been in the competition for several years and understand the level required in the British and Irish Cup.

“We have a number of promising players in Gwent that need exposure to that level of rugby.

“There’s only one way to learn and that’s by play and it’s a great opportunity for them to go up against Doncaster at Pandy Park.”