LEWIS Evans will play openside for Newport Gwent Dragons against a heavyweight Brive pack in the European Rugby Challenge Cup opener after injuries to Nic Cudd and Ollie Griffiths.

Specialist 7s Cudd and Griffiths suffered bangs to the ankle and shoulder respectively in last week's 31-27 loss to the Scarlets in Llanelli while James Benjamin is currently sidelined with a fractured leg.

That means captain Evans will return to openside at Rodney Parade on Friday (kick-off 7.30pm) after mainly featuring as a blindside and number eight in recent seasons.

James Thomas is set to start at 6 with Ed Jackson looking to continue his fine start to the campaign at the base of the scrum. Burgeoning back rower Harri Keddie will be their back-up.

"We will look for Lewis to move over to the openside," said forwards coach Ceri Jones. "He has done the role before and against a big, heavy Brive team it's not the end of the world to have a decent-sized back row.

"Nic and Ollie should both be back available pretty soon, they are bumps and bruises.

"They are both really good players and we need to get them back but with a short turnaround there's not a lot you can do and in 'JT' and Harrison we have plenty of strength in depth fortunately.

"I am not that upset as a forwards coach to have a big pack out against Brive. They are seriously big men in that French league – looking at their footage they are massive, the tighthead looks about 140 to 150kg while the number eight is around 130kg.

"They are seriously big men and like to play that close, power game. It's a big challenge for us but we are looking forward to it.

"If they get their drive going, their scrum going and come around the corner trying to run over the top of you then it is very difficult to stop.

"We are going to have our tactics to move them around and have to be effective with our chop tackles and getting over the ball."

The Dragons are also likely to be without back row/lock Nick Crosswell (shoulder), hooker Rhys Thomas (neck/shoulder), Sam Hobbs (shoulder) while Tom Prydie is set to sit out the fixture after playing 80 minutes last week on his return from 10 months out after knee ligament damage.

Lock Ashley Sweet faces a lengthier spell out of the game after rupturing a pectoral muscle playing for Ebbw Vale at Merthyr. He will undergo surgery.

The Dragons have a formidable recent record against French sides at Rodney Parade with victories against Bordeaux-Begles, Stade Francais, Pau and Castres.

Brive currently sit seventh in the Top 14 after a bright start to the season. They have stunned Toulon on their own turf and enjoyed home wins against Stade, La Rochelle and Racing 92.