PAUL Turner, pictured, the former Newport captain, is emerging as the front runner for the job of Newport Gwent Dragons coach from next season.

Turner is backs coach of Zurich Premiership Harlequins and has a year left on his contract with them, but he is known to be unsettled there and would welcome a move back to his native Wales, especially with his home region.

He is a former record points scorer with both Newbridge and Newport and won three caps for Wales.

He went into coaching after finishing playing and has enjoyed spells with Sale, Gloucester, Saracens and now Harlequins, all leading Zurich Premiership clubs, so he has bags of experience.

The Dragons directors have the option of retaining current coaches Leigh Jones and Dai Rees who are employed as forwards coach and Academy chief, respectively, Rees also the Newport coach.

Leeds director of rugby Phil Davies, the former Wales captain, is also believed to be interested in the Dragons job.

And there is a possibility of Wales defence coach Clive Griffiths returning after his success with the Dragons last season with Mike Ruddock, the pair working well in tandem for Wales again this year.

But Turner looks like the favourite for the job which is becoming vacant after the Dragons board decided not to take up the option of the second year on Chris Anderson's contract.

The former Australia rugby league coach is remaining until the end of the season.

The Dragons' record is deteriorating fast, now showing 10 defeats in 25 games and the team struggling to earn a home draw in the Celtic Cup competition.

They must win their remaining two games against Edinburgh away a week next Saturday and Connacht at home on the weekend of April 15-17 if they are to stay ahead of rivals Llanelli Scarlets and gain that home draw.

The teams are level on points in fourth and fifth places, the Dragons ahead by virtue of winning one more game.

Wales scrum half Gareth Cooper expects to be fit to face Edinburgh after missing Wales' final two Six Nations games against Scotland and Ireland with a damaged ankle. He has made just eight starts for the Dragons and his inspiration has been badly missed.

But there are fears Hal Luscombe, dogged by hamstring and knee injuries, will need an operation while Percy Montgomery could miss the final two league games after damaging a rib cartilage against Munster on Friday night.

The Irish side dominated the line-outs, but though they are a major force they were without Paul O'Connell and Anthony Foley while the Dragons' line-up included Ian Gough, Luke Charteris and Michael Owen. Something is wrong somewhere.

The Dragons fell to a 24-8 defeat, their biggest at home in the two years they have been going.

"Munster have got a really good line-out and we weren't quite up to the mark," admitted Owen, while Leigh Jones conceded: "We defended our hearts out, but you can't win without a line-out. Munster are one of the best in the league."