THE Dragons are set to sign former Australia wing Joe Tomane to provide a physical approach in midfield.

The 30-year-old ex-Wallabies back is in advanced talks about heading to Rodney Parade from Guinness PRO14 champions Leinster next season.

Tomane will be a replacement for Scarlets-bound Tyler Morgan as a midfield option, although he is predominantly a 12 rather than 13, and will also cover the outside backs.

At 6ft 2ins and 16st, the Australia international will provide some oomph on the shoulder of Wales fly-half Sam Davies.

"He's a physical midfielder and if you want to take the direct route, he's a good man to have out there," said Leinster scrum-half Jamison Gibson Park earlier this season.

With Wales duo Nick Tompkins and Jonah Holmes, an outside centre and wing/full-back also bolstering the three-quarters, director of rugby Dean Ryan's other summer recruits will target the tight five with a lock and prop arriving before 2020/21.

Tomane was on the radar long before Tompkins, who will arrive from Saracens on a season-long loan, and Holmes, who has been released from the final year of his Leicester contract after talks with the Welsh Rugby Union, inched towards Rodney Parade.

South Wales Argus:

Ryan was on the lookout for an experienced and versatile back who will be with the Dragons throughout the season and the Wallaby ticks the boxes.

Tomane, as his adaptability suggests, has all-round skills and an eye for the try line – he scored 25 tries in 68 Super Rugby appearances, 16 in 44 for Montpellier and three in 21 for Leinster after moving to midfield.

He will follow the lead of Zane Kirchner in swapping Dublin for Newport – the former Springboks full-back made 27 Dragons appearances between 2017 and 2019 – and will be a midfield option along with Jack Dixon, Adam Warren, Connor Edwards, bright prospect Aneurin Owen and Tompkins.

Tom Griffiths, who signed from Saracens last summer, is likely to miss most of next season after suffering serious leg injuries in February.

All of Tomane's 17 caps were won on the wing but he has featured predominantly as a centre for Leinster since signing in 2018.

He played on both flanks, inside centre and outside centre in his first season with the Irish province, which was hindered by a hamstring injury, but this season operated solely as a 12, making eight starts in the PRO14 but missing out on Champions Cup selection.

Tomane played rugby league before heading for the Brumbies and earning an Australia call; he faced the 2013 Lions and one of his five Test tries was a smart finish against Wales in the 2013 win at Principality Stadium.

After featuring in the 2015 World Cup he moved to Europe with Montpellier and he signed for Leinster two seasons later.