Newport Gwent Dragons: Coach Kingsley Jones hails Cory Hill's Wales call up

Cory Hill has made 65 appearances for the Dragons since joining from English Championship side Moseley in 2013

Newport Gwent Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones says lock Cory Hill's promotion to the Wales squad is a good message for his players.

Hill is only the third Dragon in the Autumn series squad, alongside Hallam Amos and Tyler Morgan.

"It is great news for him and for the Dragons, and him being selected shows that all the regions' players are being looked at," Jones said.

The 24-year-old was called up after a rib injury to Scarlets' Jake Ball.

After starting his career with Cardiff Blues, Hill was signed by the Dragons from English Championship side Moseley.

"It's well deserved, he's been very patient and shown a lot of maturity in the last 12 months, he's an excellent line-out leader and his biggest asset is his understanding and maturity" Jones told BBC Wales.

"If it doesn't come in the next month, I'm sure a first cap will come for him, he's still only 24 which is young for a lock" added Jones.

Hill will contest second-row places with Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Bradley Davies and uncapped Osprey Rory Thornton as well as Ball if he recovers.

He is the only Dragons forward in the Wales squad following the departure of Taulupe Faletau to Bath, but Jones believes there are several promising prospects.

"[Number eight] Harrison Keddie's inclusion in the training group, [prop] Leon Brown's inclusion, that's a positive for us and having conversations with [Wales coach] Rob Howley, those players have a bright future if they continue on the right path.

"We'd like to think that [hooker] Ellliot Dee if he'd been fit he'd have been knocking on the door, and [flanker] Ollie Griffiths."

The Dragons will be without full-back Carl Meyer (groin), fly-half Angus O'Brien (sickness) and scrum-half Charlie Davies (hamstring) against the Ospreys, following their disappointing 38-18 European Challenge Cup defeat by Enisei-STM in Russia.

Wing Ashton Hewitt is doubtful through sickness, but the Dragons' most-capped player, experienced hooker T Rhys Thomas, will be available at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, 29 October.