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DRAGONS (6th, Con B) v MUNSTER (2nd, Con A), Rodney Parade, 3pm (live eir Sport 1/TG4/Premier Sports 1)
Team News: Munster head coach Johann van Graan has made a raft of changes to the team for this afternoon's GUINNESS PRO14 round 14 match against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
In all, there are 13 alterations to the side that secured a record 18th Champions Cup quarter-final place for the province with last Saturday's hard-fought 9-7 win over Exeter Chiefs at Thomond Park.
Returning to PRO14 action, Tyler Bleyendaal captains the Munstermen from inside centre with full-back Mike Haley and lock Jean Kleyn the only starters from the Exeter game to keep their places.
Darren Sweetnam and Ronan O'Mahony, who played for Garryowen in the All-Ireland League last week, come in on the wings with Dan Goggin and Bleyendaal forming the centre partnership. Bill Johnston, another Garryowen clubman, joins Alby Mathewson at half-back.
Jeremy Loughman, hooker Rhys Marshall and Stephen Archer pack down together in the front row with Kleyn and Billy Holland, who impressed off the bench against both Gloucester and Exeter, in the engine room. Fineen Wycherley, Conor Oliver and Arno Botha complete the side, with the latter making his second start of the month at number 8.
Liam O'Connor, who got some game-time with Cork Constitution last Saturday, is set to make his first PRO14 appearance of the season off the bench after recovering from a long-term knee injury. Academy back rower Gavin Coombes is also among the replacements.
Meanwhile, Ceri Jones, who was recently appointed Dragons head coach until the end of the season, has made six changes to the team that went down 49-7 to Clermont Auvergne at home in the final round of the Challenge Cup's pool stages.
A new-look centre partnership will see Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon combine, while talented 21-year-old winger Will Talbot-Davies is also back in the team. Full-back Jordan Williams is also recalled to face the Champions Cup quarter-finalists.
The only change to the forwards is the return of Nic Cudd to the back row. Hooker Richard Hibbard will again captain the Dragons. Rhys Fawcett, who this week signed officially on loan from the Scarlets, is named among the replacements alongside Wales Under-20 back rower Taine Basham and Lewis Evans.
DRAGONS: Jordan Williams; Jared Rosser, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Will Talbot-Davies; Josh Lewis, Rhodri Williams; Brok Harris, Richard Hibbard (capt), Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Harrison Keddie, Nic Cudd, Ollie Griffiths.
Replacements: Rhys Lawrence, Rhys Fawcett, Dan Suter, Lewis Evans, Taine Basham, Rhodri Davies, Jason Tovey, Zane Kirchner.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Darren Sweetnam, Dan Goggin, Tyler Bleyendaal (capt), Ronan O'Mahony; Bill Johnston, Alby Mathewson; Jeremy Loughman, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland, Fineen Wycherley, Conor Oliver, Arno Botha.
Replacements: Kevin O'Byrne, Liam O'Connor, Ciaran Parker, Darren O'Shea, Gavin Coombes, Neil Cronin, Calvin Nash, Jaco Taute.
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Keith Allen, Finn Brown (both Scotland)
Television Match Official: Dave Pearson (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Dragons to win: 3/1; Draw: 19/1; Munster to win: 1/4
Pre-Match Quotes: Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) - "It's a really exciting time with all our internationals but now we have four games over two periods for guys to get, one, game-time they haven't been getting, and, secondly, putting their hands up and saying, 'I deserve to be in the team for the European quarter-final'.
"It's our responsibility for the squad left over to prepare well and play well and some individuals will do well out of that. Like we experienced with the change in our management last year, it could be the same, that they (the Dragons) will come out and fire shots.
"We can't afford to slip now that we have put ourselves in a great position in the league and with Europe now finished until the quarters, we are focused on the PRO14. Defensively and in attack, we must be on our game. It promises to be an exciting challenge especially with a new squad."
Ceri Jones (Dragons) - "Munster are a difficult opponent and a top quality team with lots of power. They will have some players away with the Ireland camp, but we will treat them with the utmost respect.
"There will be changes to their team, but the mentality will be the same as it always is with Munster - to come here and be physical, strong around the breakdown and play with aggressive line-speed.
"We've got to keep on building on our performances. We're aiming to keep the momentum going that we gathered over the festive period in the GUINNESS PRO14 and take that into this next block of games."
Top Scorers - 2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14: Dragons - Points: Josh Lewis 54; Tries: Jared Rosser 4; Munster - Points: Joey Carbery 75; Tries: Keith Earls 5
2018/19 TEAM FORM: Dragons - Played 13, Won 4, Lost 9, 18 Points; L 21-17 v Benetton Rugby (home), W 27-22 v Isuzu Southern Kings (home), L 52-10 v Leinster (away), W 16-5 v Zebre (home), L 29-13 v Glasgow Warriors (away), L 23-15 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 36-18 v Ulster (away), L 33-12 v Connacht (away), W 18-12 v Edinburgh (home), L 59-10 v Leinster (home), L 19-16 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 23-22 v Ospreys (home), L 22-13 v Scarlets (away); Munster - Played 13, Won 9, Lost 4, 44 Points; W 38-0 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), L 25-10 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 49-13 v Ospreys (home), L 37-13 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 64-7 v Ulster (home), L 30-22 v Leinster (away), W 25-24 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 30-26 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 32-7 v Zebre (away), W 44-14 v Edinburgh (home), L 19-12 v Ulster (away), W 26-17 v Leinster (home), W 31-24 v Connacht (away)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, May 16, 2015 - Munster 50 Dragons 27, Irish Independent Park
Sunday, December 6, 2015 - Dragons 22 Munster 6, Rodney Parade
Saturday, March 5, 2016 - Munster 26 Dragons 5, Thomond Park
Saturday, September 17, 2016 - Dragons 16 Munster 20, Rodney Parade
Friday, February 10, 2017 - Munster 45 Dragons 17, Irish Independent Park
Friday, November 3, 2017 - Munster 49 Dragons 3, Irish Independent Park
MATCH FACTS:
- The Dragons' only win in the last four rounds of the GUINNESS PRO14 was by the narrowest of margins, 23-22 at home to the Ospreys on December 30
- The Dragons have lost twice at Rodney Parade in their last six Championship fixtures, to Cardiff Blues in round 6 and to Leinster in round 10
- The Welshmen's most recent success against Irish opposition was 21-8 at home to Connacht in September 2017
- Munster have lost just once in the PRO14 since early October: 19-12 away at Ulster on December 21, their only defeat in their last four away games in the Championship
- Munster have lost on their last two trips to Wales, both against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park last February and September
- Munster have won their last four encounters with the Dragons since the Welshmen's 22-6 success at Rodney Parade in December 2015
