DRAGONS tighthead Leon Brown will miss Wales' summer tour to South Africa because of a shoulder injury.

The 25-year-old was selected for July’s three-Test tour despite missing the United Rugby Championship run-in with a nerve issue.

Brown was limited to 10 appearances for the Dragons and a pair of Six Nations appearances off the bench in an injury-hit campaign.

He missed the start of the season with a 'stinger' suffered on Wales duty last summer and then suffered more nerve issues after the Rodney Parade defeat to the Scarlets at the end of April.

The 22-times capped front rower will now focus on getting fit for 2022/23 with Saracens novice Sam Wainwright called up to back up Tomas Francis and Dillon Lewis against the Springboks.

The 24-year-old started out at Rhyl before playing for RGC in the Premiership to earn a move to England.

However, Wainwright has made just three starts for Sarries, all of them in the Premiership Cup, and could face a baptism of fire if needed in South Africa.

He will link up with the national squad at the end of his club's season, with Saracens having a home semi-final against Harlequins this weekend with the prize of a Twickenham final against either Leicester or Dan Biggar's Northampton.

Brown’s misfortune could turn out to be a positive in the season leading up to the World Cup, for player, club and country.

The tighthead will get the chance to be match sharp for the start of the United Rugby Championship campaign with fit-again Lloyd Fairbrother and Chris Coleman his rivals for the 3 jersey after the departure of Fiji international Mesake Doge.

Three Dragons are in the squad for South Africa - locks Will Rowlands and Ben Carter plus flanker Taine Basham.

Back row forwards Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainwright missed out through injury while hookers Elliot Dee and Bradley Roberts, a summer signing from Ulster, were not selected.