DRAGONS fly-half Will Reed will return for Newport RFC on Thursday night to face the club he helped down for cup final glory at Principality Stadium.
The 22-year-old playmaker is on the Black and Ambers’ bench for Thursday night’s Super Rygbi Cymru trip to Aberavon in front of the S4C cameras (kick-off 7.30pm).
He was a firm fixture in the Dragons XV last season and played in 20 of 21 games, 16 as starter.
However, summer signing from Gloucester Lloyd Evans got the nod for the United Rugby Championship opener against the Ospreys and is poised to wear 10 at Leinster on Friday.
With full-back Angus O’Brien providing fly-half cover, that has meant that Reed has had to bide his time at the start of the campaign and he has been sent out for game time in the SRC.
He will make his 26th appearance for the Black and Ambers and go up against Aberavon, who he faced at Principality Stadium when the Premiership Cup was lifted in 2022.
Reed is on the bench with Carwyn Penny continuing at fly-half after he played there in Newport’s tense 35-27 win in Swansea.
With a swift turnaround from that fixture and several niggles, head coach Ty Morris rotates his squad in the bid for a third win on the spin to start the season.
Dragons youngster and Wales Under-20s international Nick Thomas comes into the starting line-up to form a second-row partnership with Joe Peard.
Hooker Henry Palmer and tighthead Ollie Drake come into the front row and Kyle Tayler starts at openside.
Influential back Jon Morris makes his first start of the campaign and partners Chay Foster-Smith in midfield, Liam Lloyd comes in on the left wing while Luke Crane is Penny's half-back partner.
The Black and Ambers are once again without Matt O’Brien because the fly-half/centre and Dragons attack coach will be in Dublin ahead of Friday night’s URC fixture at Aviva Stadium.
Newport: Ioan Davies; Lloyd Lewis, Jon Morris, Chay Foster-Smith, Liam Lloyd; Carwyn Penny, Luke Crane; Tom Workman, Henry Palmer, Ollie Drake, Joe Peard, Nick Thomas, Josh Skinner, Kyle Tayler, Ben Roach (captain).
Replacements: Tyler Olding, Archie Callaghan, Nathan Evans, Rynard Landman, Josh Reid, Dafydd Buckland, Will Reed, Barney Nightingale.
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