MAGNERS LEAGUE - Dragons v Leinster
Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport Date: Sun, 6 Dec Kick-off: 1700 GMT
Coverage: Live on S4C, score updates BBC Sport website

Dan Lydiate is a product of the Newport Gwent Dragons academy

Paul Turner believes his Newport Gwent Dragons flanker Dan Lydiate can be the long-term answer to Wales coach Warren Gatland's open-side prayers.

Gatland suggested Wales may benefit from a "destructive" number seven in the future and Turner believes 21-year-old Lydiate could fit the bill.

Lydiate won his first Wales caps this autumn as a blind-side flanker but has been backed to switch flanks with ease.

"He is certainly in the destructive open-side mould," said coach Turner.

"Dan could adapt to that and has played there for us in the past."

The Dragons academy product won his first Wales cap as a replacement blind-side flanker in their 33-16 win over Argentina last month - before winning his first international start in his favoured position in Wales' 33-12 defeat by Australia on Saturday.

Experienced Lions star Martyn Williams, a winner of 91 Wales caps, is Wales' established open-side flanker and has been hailed as the finest number seven in Europe by International Rugby Board International Player of the Year Richie McCaw.

Gatland is managing Williams's game-time so the influential 34-year-old, who the Wales coach persuaded to come out of international retirement before the 2008 Grand Slam, can continue playing for Wales until the 2011 World Cup.

Wales, though, were mauled by a David Pocock-inspired Australia at the Millennium Stadium last weekend and Gatland acknowledged afterwards that perhaps Williams' style is not that required by a modern-day open-side.

"If you look at someone like Pocock or Richie McCaw, the modern-day back row has got to have a destructive seven," Gatland told BBC Sport.

"A seven who is basically a nuisance because he is on the ball the whole time and is being destructive - we may need to look at that going forward.

"We know what a fantastic player Martyn Williams is but he's more creative and a great rugby player.

"You wouldn't say he is a destructive type of seven so those are the things we need to debate going forward."

Williams' Cardiff Blues team-mate Sam Warburton is seen as the heir apparent to Williams at open-side for region and county.

But Rodney Parade chief Turner has thrown Lydiate's name into the open-side debate - even though the young forward, who has recovered from a career-threatening neck break two years ago, is set to play as a blind-side flanker in the Dragons' Magners League clash with leaders Leinster on Sunday.

"It is a little bit of a different mindset between being a number six and a number seven," Turner told BBC Sport.

"But I have played with guys that are equally adept at playing both positions.

"And these days, if you're in the back three [of the pack] you should be able to play in every position across the back row."

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