WALES lock Cory Hill will start on the bench for Newport Gwent Dragons against Guinness PRO12 champions Connacht in Galway tomorrow evening (kick-off 7.35pm).

The 24-year-old has been released from the Six Nations squad to get game time after featuring as a replacement in the Tests against Italy and England.

Hill will back up Rynard Landman and Nick Crosswell, the latter being one of three changes to the XV that lost at Munster last weekend.

The New Zealander is joined in the starting side by full-back Tom Prydie and hooker Elliot Dee, who makes his first start since January 6. Darran Harris is his back-up and will come off the bench for a first appearance since the Anglo-Welsh Cup loss at Leicester in November.

Connacht field their four released Ireland internationals – full-back Tiernan O’Halloran, scrum-half Kieran Marmion, prop Finlay Bealham and lock Ultan Dillane – in their XV.

Connacht: T O'Halloran, N Adeolokun, T Farrell, C Ronaldson, M Healy, J Carty, K Marmion, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, U Dillane, Q Roux, S O'Brien, J Heenan, J Muldoon (captain). Replacements: T McCartney, R Loughney, JP Cooney, J Cannon, N Fox-Matamua, C Blade, S Crosbie, R Parata.

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

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)