IAN Gough has been released by Wales to play for Newport Gwent Dragons in tonight's Celtic League game against Borders at Rodney Parade, but Hal Luscombe has failed to make it.

Gough will return to the Dragons second row after missing their last game against Ulster when he was one of the innocent victims caught up in the region v country dispute.

He had played as a replacement against Italy and was still required for the France game, and though he eventually missed out on a place in the 22 he was still a member of the squad which travelled to Paris.

Gough is available for the Dragons against the league's basement team when a victory will make it almost mathematically certain of Heineken Cup rugby for the Dragons again next season with four games still remaining.

Luscombe has not been so fortunate, his hamstring injury ruling him out. He has trained with Wales this week, but team manager Alan Phillips says he is no more than 50-50 for the Scotland match at Murrayfield next week.

He had to be ruled out for the Dragons tonight though Gough's fellow lock Luke Charteris is also available after resuming training with Wales, recovered from a foot injury.

But because he became available to the Dragons only yesterday his training with them has been restricted so he starts on the bench, with Gough and Peter Sidoli the pairing at lock.

The Dragons are struggling in the centre where both Luscombe and Nathan Brew have been ruled out, Brew with an ankle injury, along with Kevin Morgan, Ceri Sweeney and Gareth Cooper.

Scrum half Cooper has now been called into the Northern Hemisphere team to play the South at Twickenham tomorrow when he will partner David Humphreys, with Sweeney on the bench.

With so many backs unavailable the Dragons pair Sione Tuipulotu and Steve Winn at centre with Jonathan Bryant on the bench, though all three are inside centres.

The Dragons will also be without hooker Steve Jones, who is required by Wales as cover for Mefin Davies if Robin McBryde fail a fitness test on his knee injury.

So an all-change front row brings in Adam Black, James Richards and Rhys Thomas while Newport trio Gethin Robinson, Matthew Veater and James Ireland are on the bench.

Team: P Montgomery, G Wyatt, S Tuipulotu, S Winn, B Breeze, C Warlow, G Baber, A Black, J Richards, R Thomas, I Gough, P Sidoli, J Ringer, R Oakley, J Forster (captain). Replacements: J Bryant, J Ireland, R Snow, G Robinson, C Anthony, L Charteris, M Veater. Kick off 7.05pm.