NEWPORT Gwent Dragons face another difficult week on the back of their sobering 18-3 Magners League setback against the Scarlets on Friday night.

That defeat, without even gaining a losing bonus point, plus Cardiff Blues’ victory over the Ospreys 24 hours later, means the Dragons’ lead of seven points over their two rivals in the table has now been whittled down to just three.

They have slipped to seventh in the table and must now prepare for their game against high-flying Edinburgh at Murrayfield next Sunday with more worries.

Whereas their hosts will be able to play all their Scottish squad players because Scotland don’t play the weekend after next, the Dragons could be without both their Wales squad members Luke Charteris and Dan Lydiate.

Under the terms of the new Participation Agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union the four Welsh regions have to release their players for a 13-day period prior to the start of a series.

So Wales coach Warren Gatland is sure to require his leading squad members next weekend in readiness for the game against the All Blacks on November 7, and that will include Charteris, though there is a chance he could release Lydiate if he feels he may not be part of the New Zealand game, though requiring him for the following fixture against Samoa.

On top of that the Dragons have got more injury concerns. Already without four front-line props and No 8 Joe Bearman plus probably Charteris and maybe Lydiate, they could also be missing skipper Tom Willis again and in-form scrum- half Wayne Evans for their Edinburgh trip.

Willis suffered a twinge from the troublesome calf injury which had kept him out since the opening game of the sason early in the first half at Parc y Scarlets and promptly left the field, anxious not to suffer further damage.

And Evans suffered a back problem in training last week which forced him to withdraw against the Scarlets.

Coach Paul Turner is hoping Evans will recover this week, but admits to being unsure about the Willis situation.

And he and his fellow coaches have to do something to patch up their creaking scrum, otherwise their improved form since the start of the season will be dissipated because they can’t continue to play rugby on the back foot, especially as the conditions start to deteriorate.

It is a real problem without Ben Castle, Nigel Hall, Ali McKenzie and Phil Price, all long-term injury victims who could be out until the new year, though they have brought in Peter Bracken from Ireland for four months, the Blues’ Pat Palmer until the end of the season and Ricky Davies from Birmingham/Solihull on a two-week trial.

They could add to that with another signing this week as they try to plug the holes, and on the credit side Matthew Watkins looked good on his Dragons debut after going on in the second half at Parc y Scarlets.

“We lost the penalty count 19-7 and we do miss these experienced players, we’ve got to start winning ugly, our set piece is just not good enough,” admitted Turner after the Scarlets match.

“But I thought Matthew Watkins gave us a spark when he came on and Jason Tovey did to an extent.

“It’s going to be a big week for us now, going to Edinburgh.

“Tom’s injury was precautionary after he had a slight twinge and Wayne did his back in in training but we’re hopeful about them.”