Wales hooker Elliot Dee will start for the Dragons at the Storm on Sunday, making his first appearance since the opening weekend of the season.
The 32-year-old has been named in the starting XI for the United Rugby Championship game in Cape Town at 13:00 GMT.
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Dee has been on the sidelines for nearly six months since injuring his shoulder against Ulster in late September.
“Elliott has been working hard and competing against all the other hookers,” head coach Philo Tiatia said.
“I liked the way he was very competitive in training – he came close to clashing with other players a few times.”
Dee is one of seven changes to the XV to be made at Newport with Benetton at the end of the month.
Guard Cai Evans, wing Jared Rosser, center Fetuli Paea, point guard Rodri Williams, free agent Jordan Morris and No. 8 Harrison Keady also played.
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No.8 Aaron Wainwright and Lock Ben Carter were rested after the Six Nations clash with Wales.
Dee has failed to reach double figures in appearances for the Dragons over the past three seasons due to injury.
The hooker, who has 56 caps for his country and featured in all five Six Nations in 2025, had hoped to return quickly without surgery and feature in Steve Tandy’s first Wales team.
“He wanted to get himself ready for the fall series,” Diatia said.
“We had collaborative discussions about how to get him back sooner, but it didn’t quite work out.
“Elliott ultimately underwent shoulder surgery and worked hard to recover as quickly as possible.”
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De Beer will miss two games
Tinus de Beer spent two seasons at Cardiff City before moving to the Dragons [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
While the Dragons have been boosted by the return of Dee, who has been supported by Wales international Brody Coghlan, they have lost center Tinus de Beer.
The 30-year-old South African is due to join the squad ahead of next week’s game against the Lions in Johannesburg but will not feature due to a hand injury.
De Beer has featured in all 16 games this season since joining from Cardiff – starting all but two – but will not take any chances ahead of a trip to the Stade de France in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.
The playmaker had been linked with a move to the Bulls but the Dragons rebuffed that interest and he will remain with Rodney Parade.
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“Tinas has been outstanding, not only on the court but also off the court,” Tiatia said. “He’s great for the mentality of the team and is one of the toughest players I’ve ever played with.
“He liked to attack and beat people up, but he was also a caring person who looked after a lot of people on the team and made a lot of demands on them. He was a natural leader.”
In his absence, Angus O’Brien started at half-back, with Evans starting at full-back.
Winger Seabelo Senatla and center Dan du Plessis returned from injury to form the Charge’s backline, led by Springbok superstar forward Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
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Powerful running number eight Evan Roos, who has scored seven goals in 13 games this season, also returns after missing the derby against the Bulls.
how they line up
Stormer: Williams; Senatla, Nel (captain), du Plessis, Zas; Feinberg-Mgomezulu, Khan; Matongo, Kotze, Fouch, Smith, Hickling, Fourie, Tjunisen, Ruth.
Alternatives: Venter, Mchunu, Sandy, Dixon, de Villiers, Daiimani, Unger, Simelani.
dragon: C Evans; J. Rosser, Paea, Owen, Dale; O’Brien (captain), R. Williams; Morris, Dee, Coleman, Douglas, S. Davis, Woodman, Bedell, Keady.
Alternatives: Coghlan, W Jones, James, Langton-Clare, Young, Armstrong, J Lloyd, Inisi.
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Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland).
Assistants: Aimee Barrett-Theron and Sean Muller (South Africa).
TMO: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland).
