NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have been given a double injury boost with centre Pat Leach and loosehead prop Boris Stankovich on the brink of returns.

Leach, 29, has not featured since suffering knee ligament damage in the pre-season win against Northampton in Ebbw Vale.

Stankovich, 34, made a super start to life at Rodney Parade following his summer move from Leicester but also suffered a knee injury in November's LV= Cup success against the Ospreys in Bridgend.

The pair could be in contention for Sunday's LV= Cup clash with London Welsh at Rodney Parade.

"We hope that they are back in the mix," said head coach Kingsley Jones. "We will see where they are at in training but it's great that we are at the stage where we are talking about them being available."

The return of Leach is particularly welcome given that Ross Wardle is out for the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury while Tyler Morgan is currently on Wales duty.

Jones said: "Pat is so influential in our team, the defensive part of our game was so strong last season when he was making decisions and being our leader. I won't expect too much of him too soon but it's good he is getting close to a return."

The Dragons, who lost 37-32 to Exeter on Sunday, are likely to be out of contention for the semi-finals of the Anglo-Welsh tournament before they take on Welsh.

The region need a miracle to top Pool One – for Bath to lose to the Ospreys at the Rec and Gloucester to lose to Harlequins at Kingsholm next Saturday and for Saracens to fail to get anything from their home encounter with Exeter on Sunday.

Nonetheless, the Dragons will want to avoid the embarrassment of being the first side to lose to London Welsh this season and also build towards the return of the Guinness Pro12.

"We will stick to our guns and there will be players that need to come in as preparation for Leinster (a week on Sunday)," said Jones.

"We have to have the right balance. It will probably be a strongish pack and that has always been our plan. We want to give people an opportunity but we also need continuity."

"I thought that we played some good rugby against Exeter but the scrum was the difference between the teams," he continued.

"Exeter are a typical Premiership team, strong and direct, but I thought we were dangerous on occasions but didn't have a platform."