NEWPORT Gwent Dragons are waiting on the fitness of full back Kevin Morgan and centre Ashley Smith before naming their side to take on high flying Perpignan in their final Group One Heineken Cup-tie at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

Morgan missed the game against London Irish after suffering more knee trouble and an Achilles tendon injury against Glasgow the week before.

Smith had to leave the field in the second half of the Irish game with a back injury and though the injury is nowhere near as bad as initially feared, there is still some doubt about whether he will be fit for the Perpignan game.

If he fails to make it the Dragons will call on Phil Dolman, their centre resources getting slimmer by the week with Rhodri Davies and Gareth Maule already out.

And with Martyn Thomas unfit because of groin trouble, Aled Thomas would have to play at full back again if Morgan fails to make it.

The Dragons are strengthened by the return of skipper Colin Charvis, prop Rhys Thomas, scrum half Andy Williams and hooker Steve Jones against Perpignan, all named in a 26-man squad and expected to be fit after missing the London Irish fixture with a variety of injuries.

But one player who has seized his chance is hooker Ben Daly, who enjoyed one of his best games for the Dragons at the Madejski Stadium.

Perpignan will be a vastly different proposition from the side the Dragons almost beat in their opening pool game at the Stade Aime Giral in November.

Their squad is far stronger than it was then and they will arrive fresh from hammering Treviso 55-13 whereas the Dragons struggled in both their fixtures against the Italian champions.

The French aces are in a better position than any other group runners-up on 18 points, one behind leaders London Irish, and are certain to go through to the quarter-finals if they beat the Dragons, even without a bonus point.

They are expected to include England prop Perry Freshwater, who is set to return after completing a four-week ban imposed for striking London Irish back row forward Kieran Roche.

Also expected to return are centre/wing Adrien Plante, Samoan flanker Viliami Vaki and fellow flanker, Romanian Ovidiu Tonita. But prop Sebastien Chobet will probably be out because of a rib injury.

Dragons squad: K Morgan, A Thomas, G Wyatt, R Fussell, R Mustoe, P Emerick, A Smith, P Dollman, C Sweeney, A Williams, W Evans, A Walker, A Black, H Gustafson, R Thomas, G Robinson, B Daly, S Jones, K Crawford, A Hall, P Sidoli, A Jones, J Bearman, L Evans, C Charvis (captain), M Owen.

Kick off 1.30pm.