THE Dragons are set to be without full-back Hallam Amos for a month with the Wales speedster in a fitness race for the start of the Six Nations.

The 23-year-old suffered an ankle strain in the closing stages of the Boxing Day defeat to Cardiff Blues at Rodney Parade.

The Dragons are working with the Wales medical staff about getting Amos, who played all four autumn Tests on the wing, back to full fitness as soon as possible but he will miss Friday’s Scarlets derby and the crunch European double-header with Bordeaux-Begles.

He also is a major doubt for the Six Nations opener against Scotland in Cardiff on February 3.

“We are just waiting to see if we can rehab it without operation,” said head coach Bernard Jackman. “It’s the same injury as Tyler Morgan has, but not as bad.

“We are liaising with the Welsh medics to see what is the best course of treatment but it’s a five or six-week injury, that’s the pessimistic outlook. Hopefully we can get him back for the Six Nations.”

Amos was missing as the Dragons were downed 22-9 by the Ospreys at a sodden Rodney Parade, their 19th Guinness PRO14 derby loss on the spin.

“When the rain came it made our job even harder because we want to play a style of rugby where we can go wide, conditions meant that was harder to do.

“It then became about power and we are probably not the most powerful team in the world, and when you take Leon Brown, Brok Harris, Ollie Griffiths, Tyler Morgan, Hallam Amos, Zane Kirchner out, we were very young and very light.

“I thought the boys put in big shift and we had more physicality and endeavour than we did against the Blues, but the Ospreys are probably a better side and had more individuals who have played international rugby and a huge amount of regional rugby.

“We certainly want to bring in bigger, stronger, more powerful athletes who can play the game in the dry and the wet.

“We had a very young back row who did well against prestigious opponents, but when they are bringing Alun Wyn Jones and Paul James off the bench, that just shows the difference in budget and squad depth.”

The Dragons are hopeful of getting full-back Kirchner, centre Morgan and back row forwards Harrison Keddie and Lewis Evans back in January.