NEWPORT Gwent Dragons skipper Luke Charteris is set to be back in action before the end of the Six Nations – but a return to bolster the Wales second row is unlikely.

The 28-year-old is making good progress in his recovery after a post-World Cup operation on his right wrist. There were fears Charteris, who is leaving for France in the summer, would be out for the season but the Dragons will soon be boosted by the return of their talisman.

It will be a timely return given that injuries to Charteris, Scott Morgan and Andrew Coombs have left the region down to their last two specialist locks, Rob Sidoli and Adam Jones who start at Ulster tonight.

“Luke is pleased with his progress and is going to start what I’d call functional work in training, weights, press-ups and so on,” said Dragons director of rugby Robert Beale.

“I’d think he is a number of weeks away from getting back and at this stage I would say it would be March.

“But it’s a big boost to us and it will be great to have him back. He is our captain, is extremely experienced and is a massive influence.

“I am sure that at the forefront of his mind is that he wants to finish his Dragons career, for now at least, by playing at Rodney Parade.”

However, his return will come too late for Wales, who will start with back row forward Ryan Jones at lock against Scotland on Sunday.

Forwards coach Robin McBryde this week said they were monitoring the progress of their stricken second row forwards from the World Cup.

“We are keeping a close eye on Alun Wyn Jones, whose rehab at Ospreys is going very well, and we are monitoring Luke, but he is a little further behind,” said McBryde on Wednesday.

Charteris is set to return too late to be in contention for Wales’ final game against France on March 17, however, he will be a key figure in the Dragons’ RaboDirect Pro12 run-in.