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U-20s in midield selection struggle


DEFENDER Darren Jones is happy to be back home but he admits Newport County AFC is a completely different club to the one he left in 2005. The 30-year-old from Newport saw


his first spell with the Exiles end after he served time in prison for assault alongside teammate Andrew Thomas. County were then a part-time


Conference South club playing at Spytty Park and Jones is delighted to return with them back in the Football League. The centre-back has spent five


years in the league with Hereford United, Aldershot Town, Shrewsbury Town and AFC Wimbledon. He has turned down the offer of a


DRAGONS REGULAR: Jack Dixon


Hughes and Newport Gwent Dragons regular Jack Dixon will be the first-choice pairing for next month’s tournament in New Zealand but there are other options. Tyler Morgan showed for the


stepped up to the mark last year, covering himself in glory when we suffered a big injury blow to Cory Allen. “He was a natural choice as a


Dragons and we know all about his qualities while Harri did a great job against Scotland and we have the versatility of Tyler (who has featured on the wing for the Under-20s). “It’s an embarrassment of riches


leader. “Jack is a regular starter for the


52 caps and scored the first try at the Millennium Stadium in the 1999 win against South Africa, is excited by the options available. He said: “Steff is our captain and


Dragons at the end of the RaboDirect Pro12 season that he is a matchwinner from outside centre while RGC’s Harri Evans had a pretty solid Six Nations campaign, and started against Scotland in last week’s warm-up win. Former centre Taylor, who won


TEAM manager Mark Taylor expects the Wales Under-20s coaching team to suffer some midfield selection headaches at the Junior World Championship, writes Chris Kirwan. It is likely that captain Steffan


new deal from the Dons to rejoin the Exiles, as revealed by the Argus last week. “I’m glad to be back home,” he said.


Timing right for Jones to make his return to Exiles


“It’s my hometown and I’m happy to be here. I enjoyed my time at Wimbledon. I’d been offered a new contract and the coaching staff are first class there but I’m 30 now and it was time for me to come home. “I know Jimmy Dack from my time at


Aldershot and Justin Edinburgh has got a great reputation as a manager so I just can’t wait to get going.” Jones says the club will be targeting


and midfielder Yan Klukowski. “They are proper men and they know how to play,” he said. “They have a lot of experience and they are very good acquisitions for this club.”


training once a week but it is very different now and we’re going in the right direction.” Edinburgh is pleased to sign Jones


WELCOME: Chairman Les Scadding, Yan Klukowski, manager Justin Edinburgh, Darren Jones and director Howard Greenhaf at Rodney Parade on Tuesday.


Faletau: Breakdown battle with boks will be brutal


and Byron (Hayward, head coach) has a selection headache, but a nice one. We have got to get the combinations right and get the best out of some exciting players.” Blaenavon-born Taylor is also


pleased that the future looks bright at Rodney Parade with the young midfield pair and teenage wing/full-back Hallam Amos set to feature prominently next season. “As someone from Gwent it is


pleasing to see so many young backs coming through,” said Taylor. “They are players that can be key to the future of the Dragons.”


CRUNCH TIME: Taulupe Faletau


TAULUPE Faletau expects a brutal breakdown battle with South AfricawhenWales take on the Springboks without their two front- line opensides. The Dragons ace will have to be


at his best at the contact area in the absence of skipper Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric, both sidelined by shoulder injuries. Head coachWarrenGatland is


considering going up against the supremely physical Boks next month with a beefed-up but open- side-less back row.


BlindsideDan Lydiate is tipped to


deputise for his absent Lions col- leagues and thatwould lead to athletic number eight Faletau hav- ing to do his share of scavenging. The 23-year-old has played one


Test at openside – at the 2011 World Cup – and believes the South Africans’ brutal forward play presents a unique challenge when the ball is on the floor. “I’ve played seven once against


Australia (at the 2011World Cup),” said Faletau. “Itwas differ- ent, Iwas up against David Pocock


and I got a bit found out at the breakdownto be honest. “South Africa don’t really have


players like him, they go for a dif- ferent type of back rowbut they are still effective in what they do.” Before heading to South Africa


Faletau will battle withDan Baker at theWales trialmatch, the for- mer in the red of the probables and the latter in the white of the possibles. The pair locked horns at the


Millennium Stadium lastmonth whenNewportGwent Dragons


were edged out by the Ospreys and it will be something of a shock if both are not on the plane. Faletau has beenWarren


Gatland’s number eight since the 2011World Cup and only injury will prevent him lining up against the Springboks. But he iswelcoming the challenge


of 21-year-old Baker. “Dan has been superb,” said the Lions star. “He has really comeon this season and will only get better. He has been carrying well and has definitely been a find forWales.”


they’ve come from. It’s a completely different club to the one I left. “It was proper non-league then;


realistically, we need to stay in this league for a few years and progress from there,” he said. “You’ve only got to look where


the League Two play-offs next season but he’d be happy with consolidation at this level having experienced the non-league days. “Play-offs would be great but,


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