DRAGONS lock Brandon Nansen faces two months on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury against the Scarlets.

The 25-year-old Samoa international was forced off in the second half of Saturday’s 22-13 Guinness PRO14 loss in Llanelli and is set to be sidelined for at least six weeks.

It is a blow for the Dragons, who will soon be without Wales lock Cory Hill for the Six Nations, and Nansen, who had started to hit his straps in the second row.

The summer signing from Stade Francais is now going to miss the European Challenge Cup games against Timisoara Saracens and Clermont Auvergne plus the PRO14 clashes with Munster, Edinburgh and Benetton.

“Brandon is believed to out for six to eight weeks, although no surgery is required,” said skills coach Alan Kingsley.

“It’s a massive blow for Brandon because he came in last summer and was starting to find a run of form, we were starting to see the best of him.

“He has settled into the group, has been carrying the ball well and has been really positive in training, which was reflected in his performances.

“It’s a blow for him to have the injury at a time of the season when he was starting to feel comfortable in the squad and dominating in the areas that he can.”

The Dragons have Hill, Matthew Screech, Joe Davies and Lewis Evans as senior options in the second row along with out-of-favour South African Rynard Landman.

Prop Aaron Jarvis is waiting for news of his hamstring scan after he limped off in the opening stages of the loss at Parc y Scarlets.

The Dragons are braced for being without him for a number of weeks and will certainly be without him for Friday's game with Timisoara, leaving them thin on the ground in the front row.

Loosehead Ryan Bevington is still going through the return to play protocols following a concussion suffered against the Ospreys.

Gerard Ellis is prime candidate to start on the left hand side of the scrum with academy prospects Josh Reynolds and Dylan Bartlett other registered options while on the other side there is Dan Suter, Chris Coleman, Nicky Thomas and 18-year-old Luke Yendle.

The Dragons cannot qualify for the quarter-finals after suffering two defeats to Northampton and a loss to Clermont Auvergne.

The coaching staff will ring the changes for Timisoara to give a breather to their first team after a bruising festive block of derbies.