Dragons duo give Wales mixed fitness news

Dragons duo Elliot Dee and Aaron Wainwright have given Wales head coach Warren Gatland mixed news before the autumn internationals in November.

Hooker Dee will miss the three Test matches against Fiji, Australia and South Africa in Cardiff next month because of an ankle injury.

Number eight Wainwright could make his return from a long-term hamstring injury against Connacht on 26 October, just before the Wales squad link up.

Gatland is due to name his squad on Monday, 21 October with the opening game against Fiji on Sunday, 10 November with Australia seven days later and world champions Springboks arriving at the Principality Stadium on 23 November.

Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins has already been ruled out of the series, while Cardiff duo Taulupe Faletau and Josh Adams are struggling to be fit.

Dee, 30, missed the end of last season and the summer Tests against South Africa and Australia but was expected to return at the start of the season.

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan says Dee, who has played 51 Wales internationals, had suffered a "little setback" and is not expected back until December.

Young Cardiff hookers Evan Lloyd and Efan Daniel, who both toured Australia, are struggling with injury, their captain Liam Belcher is definitely missing and Ospreys number two Sam Parry was out of favour in the summer.

With Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias the experienced hookers available to Gatland, young Dragons front rower Brodie Coughlan, 23, could be an another option after impressing for the Dragons at the start of the season.

"We would be ecstatic if any of our players gets picked but probably more so with Brodie given the work and effort he has put in," said Flanagan.

"Not long ago he was up in RGC on loan fighting to be a professional rugby player, but it's one step at a time for him.

"We didn't necessarily think we would see this level of impact but what we did see was somebody who took his job very seriously over the summer.

"He changed his body shape, reflected on what he needed to do physically and you can see a very fit player."

Wainwright, 27, suffered his hamstring problem in the first Test defeat against Australia in Sydney where he had celebrated his 50th Wales cap.

He was targeting a return before the end of the first United Rugby Championship (URC) block of matches which culminates with the trip to face Connacht in Galway in 10 days.

Wainwright stated he wanted to play for the Dragons before appearing for Wales.

His anticipated return game would be five days after Gatland names his squad but the back rower would still have a further two weeks before the first international to prove his Test fitness.

"Connacht is a realistic target, as long as he can complete these two weeks of training," said Flanagan.

"We need to make sure he is safe but he has hit every target that has been set for him, and exceeded some."

Wainwright will not be fit for Saturday's URC visit of Benetton to Rodney Parade, but Australian lock Steve Cummins is in contention for his debut after his summer arrival from Pau, while Wales full-back Cai Evans is back in training.