NEWPORT Gwent Dragons, celebrating their first double over Llanelli Scarlets, could receive another boost at the end of the month, this time from Europe.

ERC will decide at their board meeting in late January on the criteria for entry into next season's Heineken Cup competition.

And it could well be that the demise of the Borders, the third Scottish team, will make it easier for the fourth Welsh side to qualify for the competition.

An ERC spokesman said there is no guarantee at the moment that the two remaining Scottish teams, Glasgow and Edinburgh, will receive automatic entry into the Heineken Cup.

But the Scottish Rugby Union have asked for two teams to be represented in the main competition, and if that is confirmed by ERC it will mean the fourth Welsh team will have to finish only above the fourth Irish side to qualify for the play-off against the third Italian side.

The Dragons have been the lowest placed Welsh region for the last two seasons and look set to fill that role again. If they do it seems likely they will have to finish only above either Connacht or Ulster, both currently below them, in order to make the play-off.

In the last two years the Dragons have lost to Overmach Parma, thus missing out on the Heineken Cup last season, but then just beat Calvisano to make this season's tournament only to bow out after just four of their six pool games.

Unless there is considerable team strengthening, however, they would be better off in the European Challenge Cup where they enjoyed considerable success last season, reaching the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the Dragons are more hopeful on the injury front after being hit hard over the holiday period.

They are still waiting for results of scans on flankers Richard Parks and Jamie Ringer and centre Rhodri Davies, all injured in the Boxing Day clash against Cardiff Blues, but after fears they would be out for months the signs are now more optimistic.

Lock Luke Charteris was seeing a specialist in North Wales yesterday about his troublesome shoulder injury while wing Gareth Wyatt is close to resuming after a similar injury.

Props Lee Harrison, yet to play this season after a foot injury, and Jamie Corsi (elbow) are not far away from resuming either.