NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coach Paul Turner has made a massive 13 changes, four of them positional, for tomorrow's east-west Celtic League clash against Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park.

Turner says the team needs 'freshening up' after a run of games, while he is also aware of the home game against Glasgow next Friday night which really is a must-win affair if they are to keep above the Scots and make the Heineken Cup play-off for next season.

Leigh Hinton, the forgotten man of the Dragons who Turner signed from Bedford last summer, makes his first appearance for four-and-a-half months.

The full back hasn't even been used as a replacement since his last game against Worcester in the Powergen Cup on December 3.

Aled Thomas will return to one of his former clubs, though not in the full back role he has occupied recently but in his original position of outside half. Craig Warlow is having a scan after injuring a shoulder late on against Cardiff Blues and Ceri Sweeney is on the bench.

James Ireland, one of the stars of Wales Under-21s Grand Slam winning team of last season, makes his first start of the season after two brief spells as a replacement in the last two games. He had been out until then with a serious knee injury.

Ben Breeze steps in on the wing while Nathan Brew moves from left wing to outside centre, which could well be his best position, and Jon Bryant switches from 13 to his more accustomed inside centre spot. Hal Luscombe is still unfit.

It's virtually all-change in the front five where only hooker Andrew Brown remains, and that because Steve Jones is ruled out again with a shoulder injury.

David Maddocks and Gethin Robinson come in at loose and tight head prop, respectively, while Bryn Griffiths and Peter Sidoli are at lock, Maddocks and Griffiths appearing against their former region.

"I'm looking to freshen up the place and also a few of our players took some knocks against the Blues, so I'm looking for a good performance to take into a crucial week," said Turner.

"We're by no means dismayed over the Cardiff performance, we got within a score of a side in form. There's no gloom and doom about this place."

The Scarlets field a particularly strong back division but with Gavin Thomas sidelined they leave the openside spot vacant.

Ian Gough, Luke Charteris and Rhys Thomas are left out of the 22 while Jason Forster, Adam Black, Gareth Baber and Ceri Sweeney are all on the bench. Kevin Morgan and Gareth Cooper are long term injury victims, joined by Hal Luscombe, Craig Warlow and Steve Jones.

Rhys Oakley comes in at blindside with Jamie Ringer moving to openside and number eight Michael Owen captaining the team, going head-to-head with Alix Popham, who replaced him at No 8 in Wales' final Six Nations game against France, Owen moving to blindside.

Dragons: L Hinton, G Wyatt, N Brew, J Bryant, B Breeze, A Thomas, J Ireland, D Maddocks, A Brown, G Robinson, B Griffiths, P Sidoli, R Oakley, M Owen (captain), J Ringer. Replacements: A Black, C Anthony, A Hall, J Forster, G Baber, C Sweeney, G Chapman.

Scarlets: L Byrne, D James (captain), M Watkins, R King, M Jones, C Thomas, C Stuart-Smith, I Thomas, M Rees, C Dunlea, I Afeaki, C Wyatt, D Jones, A Popham, A N Other. Replacements: P John, A Gravell, H Lowe, A N Other, L Davies, A N Other, A N Other. Kick off 5.30pm.