ROSS Moriarty will get a Six Nations audition when he is released for his comeback from injury for the Dragons against Benetton.

The 27-year-old has not played since suffering a shoulder injury in Wales’ autumn opener against New Zealand on October 30.

Moriarty has been back training with the Dragons and was named by Wayne Pivac in his squad for the defence of the Six Nations title.

The head coach will release the combative flanker for action in the United Rugby Championship a week on Friday with a view to having another back row option for the championship opener against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, February 5.

South Wales Argus: BACK: Dragons flanker Ross MoriartyBACK: Dragons flanker Ross Moriarty

Moriarty’s presence will be a boost for a Dragons side that will be without his fellow Wales back rowers Taine Basham and Aaron Wainwright in a bid for only a second win of the campaign.

It will also give him a shot at featuring against the physical Irish in Dublin on opening weekend with Pivac already without Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Josh Navidi and Dan Lydiate.

“He will be released from camp to play and get a game under his belt, if he comes through that he will be available for selection for Ireland. That’s a welcome return,” said the Wales boss.

“He’s clearly got to get through a club game first and then we will look at how he is going physically and his fitness levels.

“We know the volumes at club level that he has had going into his training sessions, so really it’s seeing him on the pitch.”

Moriarty’s appetite for collisions and confrontation would be welcome against an Ireland side who beat and outplayed New Zealand in the autumn.

“There’s one thing about Ross Moriarty that I know and that is that he doesn’t second guess things, he commits to everything he does and does that at 100 per cent. We will need that from 23 players,” said Pivac.

The Dragons don’t play this weekend and their six-strong Test contingent start preparations for the Six Nations on Monday.

Pivac is planning on releasing a handful of players for club action with tighthead Leon Brown a leading candidate after being limited to four games this season because of injury.