WALES Under-20s centre Harri Ackerman could make his Dragons debut against Oyonnax after being named on the bench for the European Challenge Cup opener.

The talented back from Newbridge, who turns 19 on Tuesday, has been out of action since suffering a shoulder injury in last season’s Premiership Cup final for Newport RFC.

He had been pencilled in for a Black and Ambers return last weekend but their fixture against Neath was postponed.

Nonetheless, Ackerman gets a first Dragons opportunity as a replacement against the French side at Rodney Parade.

Head coach Dai Flanagan makes four chances to the XV that lost to the Lions in Johannesburg last weekend.

South Wales Argus: RETURN: Sio Tomkinson missed out against the Lions because of a hip injuryRETURN: Sio Tomkinson missed out against the Lions because of a hip injury (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Sio Tomkinson returns at outside centre after being a late withdrawal at Ellis Park because of a hip injury, meaning skipper Steff Hughes moves to 12.

Wales hooker Elliot Dee has recovered from a rib injury to start with Brodie Coghlan in reserve because Bradley Roberts has been given a breather.

Joe Davies and Ryan Woodman come in at lock and blindside respectively while flanker George Young is set for a chance from the bench.

“Playing a French team will give us different questions to answer, but there will be similar themes to South Africa,” said forwards coach Luke Narraway.

“They thrive off turnover ball, so we need to attack in right areas and we need to make sure we don’t open ourselves up and get too loose.

“We know we can score tries and attacking wise we can cause issues but we’re playing big men again and we need to stick to our plan and be accurate.

“When we are in one-score games, we can’t be the first to crack. We need to be accurate with ball in hand because we are giving teams too much ammunition.

“Having 21 turnovers last week was not good enough. We need to keep hold of the ball and assert pressure.”

Oyonnax ring the changes after their last-gasp defeat to Bordeaux-Begles, when they conceded a farcical late try by dropping a missed penalty over their line.

Avoiding Top 14 relegation is their priority but they do field a hefty front row containing Scotland loosehead Rory Sutherland, Samoa hooker Manu Leiataua and Georgian tighthead Irakli Mirtskhulava.

Tonga international Steve Mafi, formerly of Leicester and London Irish, is in the second row.

Dragons: Jordan Williams; Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson, Steff Hughes (captain), Ashton Hewitt; Will Reed, Rhodri Williams; Rhodri Jones, Elliot Dee, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, George Nott, Ryan Woodman, Harri Keddie, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, George Young, Dane Blacker, Harri Ackerman, Corey Baldwin.

Oyonnax: Maxime Salles; Souleymane Coulibaly, Leo Treilles, Pedro Bettencourt (captain), Joe Ravouvou; Jules Soulan, Charlie Cassang; Rory Sutherland, Manu Leiataua, Irakli Mirtskhulava, Victor Lebas, Steve Mafi, Filimo Taofifenua, Hugo Hermet, Loic Godener.

Replacements: Julien Ratajczak, Adrien Bordenave, Antonin Corso, Ewan Johnson, Ilan El Khattabi, David Odiase, Alexis Pisani, Thibault Berthaud.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland).