WALES' Grand Slam captain Michael Owen and outside half Ceri Sweeney are both set to return for Newport Gwent Dragons in Friday night's Powergen Cup opening game against English giants Leicester at Rodney Parade.

And there is also a chance Owen's fellow British Lion Gareth Cooper will make it for the first game in the revamped competition when Wales' four regions battle it out with England's Premiership teams.

The new-look competition was launched at the Millennium Stadium today when the English teams pledged to give it their best shot amid claims that some will field under-strength line-ups.

The attraction of twice Heineken Cup champions Leicester, who are currently leading the Guinness Premiership, plus the return of the Dragons' leading players should attract a bumper crowd to Rodney Parade.

Owen was the subject of considerable controversy last week when claims were made the Dragons had approached the Wales management for his early release. The claims were subsequently denied by the Dragons who said it was just an enquiry should several injured players not have recovered in time to play against Ulster.

But there will be no such confusion this week because the mandatory conditioning period for Owen and the other Lions is at an end, thus freeing Owen and Cooper, if he has fully recovered from his ankle operation, to return.

Cooper resumed running last week and says he could make it while half back partner Sweeney is confident of his fitness after being out with a groin injury.

It would be tough on Gareth Baber and Craig Warlow, who have done well under difficult circumstances, but Cooper and Sweeney are both internationals who should add penetration to the Dragons back division while Owen is, of course, a certainty in any Dragons line-up.

But a real problem has emerged at hooker where both Dragons players are ruled out with injuries.

First choice Steve Jones has only been able to complete the first half of his two comeback games against Irish teams Leinster and Ulster while number two Kieran Crawford is waiting for the results of a scan on his injured shoulder.

Jones was in some trouble after the Ulster game on Saturday amid fears that the injury has flared up again.