HEINEKEN CUP PLAY-OFF Venue: Centro Sportivo San Michele Date: Friday, 29 May KO: 2000 BST Coverage: Update on BBC Radio Wales online, BBC Radio Cymru and online
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Departing Dragons will give their all
Hoani MacDonald and Ashley Smith return from injury for Newport Gwent Dragons at Calvisano in the Heineken Cup qualification match on Friday.
Dragons boss Paul Turner also has Jason Tovey at full-back while James Arlidge comes in at fly-half.
Calvisano include ex-Dragons lock Peter Sidoli and Dragons-bound prop Ali McKenzie while ex-Wales prop Ben Evans is on the bench.
"Calvisano have a strong squad... but we are ready," said Turner.
Luke Charteris, Lewis Evans and Dan Lydiate, who trained along with Tovey with the national squad last week, are also named.
The Heineken Cup play-off may not be repeated, BBC Sport Wales understands.
Tournament organisers European Rugby Cup Limited are understood to be considering a proposed rule change.
It would mean the fourth-placed Welsh Magners League team automatically entering the European Challenge Cup.
Dragons boss Paul Turner said: "From what I'm hearing there's no Italian situation next season."
ERC sources confirmed doing away with the play-off is one of a number of proposals being discussed.
Turner seems to think the decision has already been taken in principle.
"I think the top three Welsh regions go into the European Cup and the fourth goes into the shield next season," he said.
The Dragons finished behind Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Scarlets in this season's Magners League and they travel to face third-best Italian side Calvisano on Friday for a place in next season's Heineken Cup.
"It's a big blow if you don't make the main European competition, but we've proved before that rebuilding in the other competition [European Challenge Cup] is good for us," Turner said.
It will be down to a lot of attitude and that winning mentality
Paul Turner
"We don't intend that to happen, of course, and we dearly want a prized scalp over there on Friday night.
"They've not been beaten at home in their league season. And so the boys are well aware of that and it will be down to a lot of attitude and that winning mentality."
McKenzie's presence mirrors a situation of three years ago when the Welsh region faced Overmach Parma with Heineken Cup qualification on the line.
USA Test centre Paul Emerick completed a move to Dragons in 2006 after scoring the winning try for Overmach Parma in that year's play-off.
"We signed Ali back in February/March, so that's the crazy world of rugby union," said Turner.
In March the Celtic Rugby Board agreed in principle to introduce two Italian teams into the Magners League.
The board advised the Italian Rugby Federation it is considering the move in time for the 2010-11 season.
Calvisano: Luke Mclean; Winston Mafi, Matteo Pratichetti, Gonzalo Garcia, Ludovico Nitoglial; Gerard Fraser, Paul Griffen; Alistair Mckenzie, Leonardo Ghiraldini (capt), Hoani Tui, Peter Sidoli, Cameron Treloar, David Dal Maso, Aaron Persico, Alessandro Zanni. Replacements: Ben Evans, Tommaso D'Apice, Valerio Bernabo, Nicola Cattina, Pino Patelli, Giovanni Raineri, Paolo Buso.
Dragons: Jason Tovey; Gareth Wyatt, Rory Sidey, Ashley Smith, Richard Fussell; James Arlidge, Wayne Evans; Adam Black, Tom Willis (capt), Rhys Thomas, Hoani MacDonald, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Craig Hill, Lewis Evans. Replacements: Steve Jones, Nigel Hall, Grant Webb, Andrew Hall, Alex Walker, Aled Brew, Martyn Thomas.
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