WALES prop Aaron Jarvis will be fit to play a full part in pre-season training after a frustrating first campaign at the Dragons.
The 33-year-old, primarily a tighthead but with the ability to play loosehead, headed to Rodney Parade from Clermont Auvergne last summer.
However, he ruptured a bicep in pre-season training and then, after making just three starts from his 14 appearances, suffered a season-ending hamstring injury against the Scarlets in Llanelli in January.
Jarvis went for testing in London last week and received good news with the 18-times capped forward close to a return to full training.
The Dragons’ 2018/19 campaign ended with the win against the Scarlets at Judgement Day on Saturday, April 27 and they return to start the Dean Ryan era on Monday, June 10, albeit the new director of rugby won’t properly take up his role until July.
A number of the squad have spent the past five weeks on rehabilitation and recovery programmes with medical reviews in a bid to bit fit and firing for the start of next season.
Brandon Nansen also suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Llanelli in January and the powerful lock is fit to be in contention for Samoa’s World Cup squad.
The hard-hitting 24-year-old made just 12 appearances after signing from Stade Francais last summer and was starting to hit his straps when he suffered the blow at the Scarlets.
Back row forwards Ollie Griffiths (bicep) and Harri Keddie (foot) and fly-half Arwel Robson (hamstring) have been rehabbing with the target of returning alongside wing Ashton Hewitt and centre Tyler Morgan (both shoulder).
Back row forward James Sheekey, who has played just seven times since being signed from Cardiff RFC in the autumn of 2017 and missed all of last season, had a hip operation in January. The 24-year-old saw his surgeon last week and is expected to play a part in the first block of pre-season training.
Flanker Taine Basham suffered a hand injury that ruled him out of the World Rugby U20 Championship and has a review next week, although the blow isn’t expected to hinder his preparations for the start of the season, while versatile back rower James Benjamin will also go for assessment of the neck injury that ruled him out of the PRO14 run-in.
Ben Stirling, head of physiotherapy and medical services, said: “All the injured players have been working exceptionally hard during the summer and should be commended for their commitment to being as fit as possible come the start of pre-season.
“The pre-season period is an extremely important one for the entire squad, so we’ve worked hard throughout the off-season with the injured boys to ensure they can aim for a successful return.
“It’s fantastic to see a number of players who have had long-term injuries, such as Aaron Jarvis and James Sheekey, near a return to training with pre-season just around the corner.”
The Dragons will be without their five-strong Wales contingent of lock Cory Hill, hooker Elliot Dee, prop Leon Brown and back rowers Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainwright this summer.
Warren Gatland names his World Cup squad in the first week of September with the Guinness PRO14 starting on the weekend of September 27.
There will be three rounds, a break for the quarter-finals of Japan 2019, then a block of three more fixtures.
The Conferences are being rejigged for next season and are set to be confirmed next week.
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