Leon Brown: Dragons prop's return after injury gives Wales boost

Wales prop Leon Brown made a successful comeback after nine months out injured in the Dragons' 30-25 defeat against Lions in the European Challenge Cup.

Brown, 26, made an impressive 35-minute cameo appearance as Dragons scored 20 points without reply in that time.

He was named by Warren Gatland in the Six Nations squad despite not having played since April 2022.

Brown, who needed neck surgery, was the only one of three Wales tight-heads in action in the final round of Europe.

Tomas Francis missed the Ospreys' win in Leicester for personal reasons, while Cardiff's Dillon Lewis has a knee injury.

"It was nice to get quite a long time out there, the lungs were screaming early on but I enjoyed it," said Brown, who has 22 caps.

"I've been pent up for a while now, I'm fed up with watching the boys so I had to come back and make an effort.

"I was as surprised as you probably were [with the selection] but it's always an honour to get a call-up. The last time I was there was the last Six Nations.

"It'll be interesting [under Gatland], hopefully there'll be a good buzz around the place and we can make some good strides."

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan has no doubts Brown would be ready to face Ireland in the Six Nations opener on February 4, whether or not he is given extra game-time in their United Rugby Championship game against Glasgow.

"Physically he hasn't dropped off and I thought his scrummaging was excellent [against Lions]," said Flanagan, whose team will travel to Glasgow in the Challenge Cup last 16.

"He can do it for Wales, under Gatland the intensity in training will prepare him and if there's one guy made for international rugby it's Leon."

Wales may have to call up another hooker after Dewi Lake hobbled off early in the Ospreys' dramatic Champions Cup win at Leicester with a knee injury.

But prop Gareth Thomas hopes that result will send the sizeable Ospreys contingent into national training with a spring in their step.

"I can't wait to start the Six Nations, we're looking forward to getting stuck in. Confidence is sky-high in the boys that are going," he said.

"It's a big week ahead, so we're just looking forward to carrying on that momentum."