NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have signed Ben White on loan from Exeter to help their back row injury crisis.

The 32-year-old Australian has arrived on a three-week deal and trained with his new teammates at their Ystrad Mynach base today ahead of Friday’s Guinness Pro12 clash with Ulster in Belfast.

White, who headed to the Chiefs in 2011 after five seasons with Cardiff Blues, is primarily an openside but at 6ft 4ins has the bulk to slot in next to Nic Cudd and James Benjamin.

The Dragons were forced to field lock Rynard Landman at blindside in last Friday’s super Guinness Pro12 win against Leinster at Rodney Parade when Lewis Evans suffered a recurrence of a calf problem in the warm-up.

Their problems got worse when Nick Crosswell limped off with a foot injury, joining the lengthy list of back row absentees featuring Ed Jackson, Ollie Griffiths, James Thomas and Andrew Coombs while Taulupe Faletau is on Wales duty.