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Dragons hope Wales prop Leon Brown will sign a new contract and be fully fit for next season.<\/b><\/p>\n
Brown, 27, last played in the Six Nations opening game against Scotland in February after playing only four matches for Dragons beforehand.<\/p>\n
The tight-head is out of contract this summer, but has not been listed among the Rodney Parade leavers and talks are continuing about a new deal.<\/p>\n
Brown is currently sidelined through what the Dragons have called a “knock” after previously suffering a long-standing neck problem. <\/p>\n
He is set to miss Wales’ summer programme as Warren Gatland’s side face South Africa at Twickenham on 22 June and travel to play Australia in a two-Test series in July.<\/p>\n
“We see his long-term future with us,” said Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan.<\/p>\n
“We have taken a long road to make sure we do things right. I am relatively new to dealing with Leon, but he has had a bitty last couple of years so we just need to make sure that when he does return to playing rugby, hopefully in Gwent, he is fully ready to go.<\/p>\n
“There’s nothing major, it’s just making sure he is strong and that’s been why we have de-loaded him since the Six Nations.”<\/p>\n
Asked if the plan was to get him to pre-season and then start again, Flanagan replied: “That would be the ideal plan and what we are all trying to pursue.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n