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Super Sarel welcomes Kings to Rodney Parade

Former Emerging Springbok Sarel Pretorius, fullback Carl Meyer and former Stormers prop Juan Harris have been named in the Newport Gwent Dragons team for Saturday's Pro14 Round Five encounter.

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The Kings are yet to win a match in the competition.

The Dragons scrumhalf, Pretorius, understands that they will be targeting this match for their first win.

"They have nothing to lose and that sort of team is always dangerous," Pretorius said.

"We can't just say: 'It's the Kings, they are new to the competition, they are vulnerable'.

"They will be targeting us and we have to stick to our guns and do what we need to.

"We know their threats – they have a very good back three so we have to tidy up any loose kicks because they will punish us."

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The South African side will travel to Wales for the second time this season, after their loss against current champions Scarlets.

"They showed against the Scarlets, when it was close at half-time, that there is a lot of talent in their squad. We can't go off-plan and know exactly what we have to do because if we go loose it's what they like," Pretorius added.

Kings coach Deon Davids has handed a starting place to Jacques Nel at centre in place of Luzuko Vulindlu, who drops to the bench and veteran finisher Alshaun Bock comes replaces Sibusiso Sithole on the left wing.

The only other change amongst the backline is injury-enforced and sees Godlen Masimla take over at scrumhalf from Rudi van Rooyen.

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Rowan Gouws is included in the match-day 23 as replacement scrumhalf on the bench.

There has been some shuffling in the Southern Kings pack too.

Martin Dreyer gets a chance to stake his claim at tighthead prop in the absence of Luvuyo Pupuma who has been ruled out for at least four weeks with a rotator cuff injury.

Bobby De Wee gets a start at lock in place of Dries Van Schalkwyk who makes the switch to No.8 – a position he filled with some distinction for Italian club Zebre last season.

The man who wore the No.8 jersey for the Kings last weekend, Andile Ntsila, shifts to the side of the scrum where he takes over from Khaya Majola at flank. Majola is included on the bench. Making it all-change from the loose forward combination who did duty against Zebre last weekend, Jurie van Vuuren returns as No.7 flank in place of Victor Sekekete.

Hooker Michael Willemse will once again captain the Kings team which welcomes back prop Etienne Swanepoel on the bench after a compulsory break due to concussion and there is also place found amongst the replacements for lock Lubabalo Mtyanda.

Dragons coach Bernard Jackman fields a similar side to the team that beat Connacht at Rodney Parade two weeks ago.

The South African fullback, Meyer, returns to the back three to join wings Ashton Hewitt and Welsh International Hallam Amos.

The centre partnership sees Tyler Morgan and Jack Dixon get the nod, whilst Gavin Henson is named at flyhalf with Sarel Pretorius coming in as scrumhalf.

The front row sees hooker Elliot Dee named alongside props Juan Harris and Leon Brown, whilst Matthrew Screech joins skipper Cory Hill in the second row as flanks James Thomas and Ollie Griffiths line up next to No.8 James Benjamin.

Teams:

Newport Gwent Dragons: 15 Carl Meyer, 14 Ashton Hewitt, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Gavin Henson, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 James Benjamin, 7 Ollie Griffiths, 6 James Thomas, 5 Cory Hill (captain), 4 Matthew Screech, 3 Leon Brown, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Juan Harris.

Replacements: 16 Ellis Shipp, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Joe Davies, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Angus O'Brien, 23 Thretton Palamo.

Southern Kings: 15 Masixole Banda, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Berton Klaasen, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Bobby de Wee, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Martin Dreyer, 2 Michael Willemse (captain), 1 Schalk Ferreira.

Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Etienne Swanepoel, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Khaya Majola, 21 Rowan Gouws, 22 Oliver Zono, 23 Luzuko Vulindlu.

Date: Saturday, September 30

Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport

Kick-off: 19.35 (20.35 SA time; 18.35 GMT)

Referee: Andy Brace (Ireland)

Assistant referees: David Wilkinson (Ireland), Gareth John (Wales)

TMO: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)

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