Dragons v Bayonne - Amlin Challenge Cup match preview

Last updated: 20th October 2012  

Dragons v Bayonne - Amlin Challenge Cup match preview

Tonderai Chavhanga: will make his first-team comeback on Saturday after knee surgery last April

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Tonderai Chavhanga will make his first appearance of the season for the Dragons when they entertain Bayonne in the Amlin Challenge Cup on Saturday.

Chavhanga has not featured for the Welsh club in the past seven months after undergoing knee surgery in April, but came through a 20-minute cameo in the British & Irish Cup last weekend unscathed.

The Zimbabwe-born winger is joined in the back three by Tom Prydie, who starts at full-back in place of Dan Evans.

Centre Andy Tuilagi, scrum-half Jonathan Evans and hooker Steve Jones all return to the home side's starting line up following the 38-25 defeat to Wasps in the opening round of the competition.

Owen Evans makes his first Dragons start after coming on as a try-scoring replacement at Adams Park.

Bayonne have Wales international Mike Phillips back in their ranks to play alongside fly-half Benjamin Boyet.

The French club recorded their biggest ever win in Europe last time out, thrashing minnows Rugby Mogliano 71-7 on home soil.

They have lost their only two previous encounters against the Dragons though, including being hit for a half-century of points at Rodney Parade back in 2006.

Dragons: 15 Tom Prydie, 14 Will Harries, 13 Adam Hughes, 12 Andy Tuilagi, 11 Tonderai Chavhanga, 10 Lewis Robling, 9 Jonathan Evans, 1 Owen Evans, 2 Steve Jones, 3 Nathan Buck, 4 Ian Nimmo, 5 Rob Sidoli, 6 Tom Brown, 7 Lewis Evans (c), 8 Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Nathan Williams, Dan Way, Adam Jones, Jevon Groves, Liam Davies, Steffan Jones, Pat Leach.

Bayonne: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Sam Gerber, 13 Thibault Lacroix, 12 Gabi Lovobalavu, 11 Marvin O'Connor, 10 Benjamin Boyet, 9 Mike Phillips; 1 Aretz Iguiniz, 2 David Roumieu, 3 Nemiah Tialata, 4 Abdellatif Boutaty, 5 Mark Chisholm, 6 Jean-Jo Marmouyet, 7 Dwayne Haare, 8 Julien Puricelli
Replacements:16 Francois Da Ros, 17 Pierre Philippe Lafond, 18 Vitolio Manukula, 19 Robin Linde, 20 Cedric Garcia, 21 Marc Baget, 22 Matthieu Ugalde, 23 Cedric Heymans

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