NEWPORT Gwent Drag-ons have been hit by more injury problems on top of the nine internationals already ruled out of Sunday's Celtic League game against Borders at Rodney Parade.

No sooner did wing Richard Fussell return from a six-week lay-off with a damaged shoulder as a second half replacement against Sale last Friday than he suffered a foot injury which rules him out of Sunday's game.

And Wales under-21 scrum half James Ireland is suffering from a recurrence of the knee problem which needed an operation early in the season and is also sidelined.

It means the Dragons tackle a crucial game which they need to win against an improved Borders team in order to escape the foot of the table without Michael Owen, Kevin Morgan, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper, Luke Charteris, Ian Gough, Hal Luscombe, Chris Anthony, Nathan Brew, Fussell and Ireland.

They are right down to the bare bones and will have to include Premiership players in their final 22.

They have named a 23-man squad which includes Newport players Gareth Chapman, Aled Thomas, Andrew Brown and Gethin Robinson, and one more could yet be added.

Lock Bryn Griffiths is named for the first time after suffering a stress fracture of a foot in training soon after joining from Llanelli Scarlets.

The Dragons have beaten their Scottish opponents on all four occasions they've met, including thumping 54-10 and 42-15 wins in their two appearances at Rodney Parade.

It will be a lot closer this time given the missing Dragons players and the likely full strength Borders team, free of Scottish commitments.

Squad: L Hinton, G Wyatt, G Chapman, S Tuipulotu, J Bryant, B Breeze, C Warlow, A Thomas, G Baber, A N Other, A Black, D Maddocks, R Thomas, G Robinson, S Jones, A Brown, A Hall, P Sidoli, B Griffiths, J Ringer, J Forster (captain), R Oakley, R Bryan. Kick-off 4.10pm.