91Èȱ¬

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan says Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright has been "flat out" this week in training before his expected return from injury against Connacht on Saturday.

Flanagan is deciding whether to start Wainwright or name him on the replacements bench for the United Rugby Championship (URC) match in Galway.

Wainwright, 27, has been absent since suffering a hamstring injury in Wales' first Test defeat against Australia in Sydney in July.

He has yet to feature this season but has this week been named in Warren Gatland's 35-man Wales squad for next month's autumn internationals against Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

"He was flat out on Monday," said Flanagan. "He has been awesome, it's his first major injury and he is a week ahead of schedule.

"That's credit to the work he has done and hours he has put in. I am excited to see how he goes."

Wales begin against Fiji on Sunday, 10 November at Principality Stadium, before playing Australia (17 November) and South Africa (23 November) in Cardiff, with Gatland hoping Wainwright can prove his fitness.

"I did speak to him a few weeks ago and said that I didn't want him to feel he had to push himself to play," said Gatland.

"Even if he was a week or so off being fit, we'd still have selected him in the squad and given him a few weeks of training. But I understand he's fit this weekend."

Dragons prop Leon Brown is another player recovering from long-term injury and has featured in three URC games this season.

The 27-year-old has not been included in the autumn squad, with Wales and Dragons in dialogue about his future.

"Wales and us have a plan to make sure we prolong his rugby journey," said Flanagan.

Dragons will also decide whether to field Brown this weekend.

"Leon has had two big shifts and we have two good young tight-heads in the squad," said Flanagan.

"He could be a supporting role this week off the bench if we choose to use him."