NEWPORT Gwent Dragons are set to be without acting captain Rynard Landman for Saturday's European Rugby Challenge Cup clash against Bucharest while Wales star Taulupe Faletau will be rested.

It is likely that lock Landman, one of the region's star performers this season, will miss the encounter against the Wolves at the Stadium Arcul de Triumf after suffering a concussion against Glasgow on Sunday.

Andrew Coombs and Matthew Screech are vying to replace the South African in the second row against Bucharest's powerful pack.

Number eight Faletau will stay at home after playing every minute for Wales in their autumn internationals against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa.

Loosehead Boris Stankovich is nearing a return from a knee injury suffered against the Ospreys in mid-November but will not feature in Romania.

Centre Jack Dixon, 19, has been replaced captain and full-back Lee Byrne, who is out for three months following shoulder surgery, in the Dragons' European squad but is not ready for a return to action.

Dixon, who suffered a wrist injury against the Ospreys in week two of the Guinness Pro12,has returned to training and is likely to feature for Cross Keys against Bedford in the British and Irish Cup.

The medical staff are continuing to monitor wing/centre Tyler Morgan's swollen knee and are adopting a cautious approach with the 19-year-old potentially being back in the mix for the return of the Pro12 against Zebre on December 21.

The Dragons are set to keep changes to a minimum against Bucharest following a dogged display against title hopefuls Glasgow when they were edged out 19-15.

"Our scrum struggled a bit in Glasgow," said head coach Kingsley Jones. "They had a massive back five and it will be the same challenge in Bucharest so we will have to think about that selection.

"But there were lots of positives from Glasgow and I thought we deserved a point after a big effort from the team. We needed a response because the second half against Munster wasn't good enough (when losing 38-12 after leading 9-7 at half-time).

"This is a different challenge to last week – this time we will be favourites and have everything to lose and nothing to gain."

The Dragons need to win to keep alive their quarter-final hopes after beating Stade Francais with a bonus point in Paris and then slipping up against Newcastle at Rodney Parade.

Bucharest were thrashed by the Falcons but came close to beating their French visitors only for Australia wing Digby Ioane's try to sneak a 13-9 win.

"We will respect Bucharest," said Kingsley Jones. "Stade Francais went there and performed badly and almost got beaten, so have Worcester and Newcastle in the past."