STEVE Jones starts only his second game of the season for Newport Gwent Dragons in tonight’s Magners League derby against the Ospreys at Rodney Parade.

Jones steps in at hooker as skipper Tom Willis is given a rest and is the only change in the pack from the Heineken Cup-tie against Toulouse which will be expected to bear the brunt of the Dragons’ efforts to end their six-game losing run.

New Zealander Hoani MacDonald remains in the blindside flanker position he occupied against Toulouse after playing there regularly for Southland in the Air New Zealand Cup, though he was brought over chiefly as a lock.

In the absence of Willis the Dragons will be led by Luke Charteris who has been in top form this season and has regained his place in the Wales squad.

The backs again undergo major changes as coach Paul Turner, aided by former Ospreys chief Lyn Jones, search for some pace and penetration.

Rob Lewis will start his second game of the season at scrum half and will partner Shaun Connor, a late withdrawal against Toulouse because of back spasms, who returns against the region where he spent five years before joining the Dragons in the summer.

Rhodri Davies starts at outside centre and Rory Sidey moves to 12 while Richard Fussell returns on the left wing.

Only Jason Tovey and Gareth Wyatt among the backs remain in the positions they started against Toulouse, Wyatt becoming the first player to start 100 league games.

Dragons rugby manager Robert Beale said, “Steve Jones has waited patiently for his opportunity and gets a start to kick off a tough Christmas period for us.

“Rob Lewis has also waited patiently and comes in to stake a claim for the position, he gets his opportunity now and it’s up to him to grasp it. Rory Sidey has played at 12 before and Rhodri comes in at 13, I think it’s quite an exciting backline.”

The Ospreys include Gavin Henson at full back for only his third appearance of the season and his first at 15 since the Ulster game in January 2007, though even this could be subject to his partner Charlotte Church not giving birth.

Wales captain Ryan Jones returns to lead the side at number eight after missing the Treviso Heineken Cup double header with a foot injury while Wales scrum half Mike Phillips is on the bench, set to make his first appearance since March when he badly damaged knee ligaments.

Jonathan Thomas, normally a blindside, plays at lock for the first time since the Leinster fixture in April 2007.

But the Ospreys have left out a number of other top players - Lee Byrne, James Hook, Shane Williams, Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard, Alun Wyn Jones and Filo Tiatia while Nikki Walker, Duncan Jones and Huw Bennett are injured.

Dragons: J Tovey, G Wyatt, R Davies, R Sidey, R Fussell, S Connor, R Lewis, A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, A Jones, L Charteris (captain), H MacDonald, J Bearman, C Charvis. Replacements: G Robinson, T Willis, D Lydiate, L Evans, T Isaacs, A Smith, P Dollman.

Ospreys: G Henson, T Bowe, S Parker, A Bishop, J Vaughton, D Biggar, R Wells, P James, E Shervington, C Griffiths, I Gough, J Thomas, T Smith, R Jones (captain), M Holah. Replacements: M Breeze, A Jones, F Tiatia, S Tandy, M Phillips, A Beck, K Phillips. Kick off 7.35pm.

* Former Dragons wing/centre Nathan Brew, who recently left the Scarlets, has joined Bristol after being linked with a return to Rodney Parade, though the Dragons’ interest in him ended before he made his decision. Brother Aled may rejoin the Dragons, depending on how he recovers from a knee injury.