THE Dragons are without four Wales internationals because of injury for their United Rugby Championship clash with winless Zebre.

Dean Ryan's men aim to avoid becoming the Italians' first scalp of the season in the basement battle at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

The Dragons are slight favourites for the clash but are without a quartet of Wales forwards after they suffered injuries in the defeat to the Scarlets at Rodney Parade last weekend.

Tighthead Leon Brown, lock Will Rowlands and number eight Aaron Wainwright drop out of the XV while hooker Elliot Dee is not able to be on the bench.

Ryan makes four changes with Chris Coleman in for Brown, Joe Davies replacing Rowlands for his 100th appearance and Wales international Taine Basham slotting in for Wainwright.

An unforced switch is made at scrum-half with Rhodri Williams replacing Argentina international Gonzalo Bertranou, who sits out the fixture with Lewis Jones named as a replacement.

He is one of six new faces on the bench with call-ups for hooker James Benjamin, Fiji prop Mesake Doge, lock/flanker Huw Taylor, back rower Lennon Greggains and fly-half Will Reed.

Dragons: J Williams; Dyer, Warren, Dixon, Rosser; S Davies, R Williams; Seiuli, T Davies, Coleman, J Davies, Carter, Keddie (captain), Fry, Basham.

Replacements: Benjamin, Reynolds, Doge, Taylor, Greggains, L Jones, Reed, Lewis.