DRAGONS boss Dean Ryan hopes Cory Allen can give him another option at 13 as they continue to help the Wales centre on the comeback from a serious knee injury.

The 28-year-old has been training with the Rodney Parade side ahead of the 2021/22 season, which gets under way at the end of the month.

Allen will not be a contender for the start of the United Rugby Championship because he is still working towards full fitness after suffering a major injury playing for the Ospreys against Ulster in September 2019.

The former Cardiff back, who won the last of his six caps against Samoa in 2017, is working closely with Dragons head of physiotherapy and medical services Ben Stirling.

The Wales sevens international is a talent but suffered ankle and hamstring issues before his knee injury, leaving director of rugby Ryan with plenty to weigh up.

South Wales Argus:

“For us it's about looking at the potential returns can be if we can get Cory back on the field versus the challenge of doing that,” he admitted.

“At the moment he is still involved in support and rehab, but it's speculative. If we can get him right and get him back on the field, that's the sort of thing that can really kick in as a bonus for the Dragons.

“Outside centre is certainly an area where we want to create more options and we are prepared to support Cory to see if that works for us.”

The Dragons are stacked with options at 12 but are lighter at 13, even with stalwart Adam Warren back from a groin injury that limited him to four appearances last season.

Ryan fielded combinations of Jamie Roberts, Jack Dixon and Wales hopeful Aneurin Owen but all three are primarily inside centres while wing Jared Rosser was tried out in midfield against the Scarlets in the Rainbow Cup.

Wales centre Nick Tompkins is back at Saracens after spending last season in Newport and Tom Griffiths, who hasn’t played since January 2020, because of ruptured knee ligaments, has joined Coventry on loan for the 2021/22 English Championship campaign.