UNCAPPED duo Taine Basham and Ashton Hewitt cannot wait to impress when they link up with Wales ahead of next Saturday’s clash with the Barbarians in Cardiff.

Back-rower Basham and wing Hewitt were two of eight Dragons named in new Wales head coach Wayne Pivac’s 35-man squad for the non-cap fixture at Principality Stadium.

Sam Davies, Elliot Dee, Leon Brown, Aaron Wainwright, Ross Moriarty and Ollie Griffiths are also in the squad.

Back row Basham has enjoyed a whirlwind few days with his call-up coming after his hat-trick heroics against Castres in the European Challenge Cup at the weekend.

However, the 20-year-old has his feet firmly on the ground as he looks to enjoy every second of being part of the senior Wales set-up.

“I was delighted to hear I was in the training squad,” he said. “It’s been a fantastic few days with the Castres game at the weekend too.

“When you start off in this sport you want to see how far you can go and this is obviously a huge highlight for me.

“It’s now about going into camp, buying into the environment and training as hard as I can to take it all in and learn what they do on the international stage.

“Dean (Ryan) congratulated me and said well done on all my hard work before reminding me that I haven’t made it just yet. I know I’ve got to get my head down and keep working.

“I’m just looking forward to training now and making the right impression in the camp.”

For Hewitt, who has scored 22 tries in 77 games for the Dragons, it is another opportunity to push for an appearance in the red of Wales after injury twice denied him in the past.

Concussion ended his hopes of a first cap when he was called into the 2017 Six Nations squad, while shoulder surgery dented his summer tour hopes in 2018.

The wing, who turns 25 today, is eager to make his mark on the international stage and believes the call-up is a big endorsement of the work going on at the Rodney Parade region.

“I’m obviously really happy and it’s a good confidence builder for me,” he said. “I’m just pleased that I’m fit and ready to go – it’s a nice early birthday present.

“There is new management and they have brought in a few new boys so I’m sure everyone will be busting to impress and show what they can do in training.

“It’s also a massive endorsement for what we are doing at Dragons.

“The strategy that the board and Dean (Ryan) are taking forward and the players that we have, I think anyone can see that we are moving in the right direction.

“We have the right people at the wheel and it’s reflected in our performances, and now in eight players being selected for Wales.”