OWAIN Leonard returns to the Dragons squad for their Italian double-header with Benetton and Zebre in the Guinness PRO14 after injuries to scrum-halves Sarel Pretorius and Dan Babos.

The 20-year-old and Charlie Davies are the options for the clashes in Treviso on Saturday and l’Aquila seven days later as the Dragons hunt a first league win on the road since March, 2015.

Pretorius, who has signed for the Southern Kings next season, and teenager Dan Babos were the scrum-halves in the home loss to the Cheetahs a fortnight ago.

Prospect Leonard made his regional debut off the bench at Edinburgh in the second week of the season and made the last of his five appearances against Enisei-STM in the European Challenge Cup in December, his sole start coming against Ulster in Belfast.

He returns to the fold after Babos suffered a minor hamstring twinge in training.

Head coach Bernard Jackman will be forced into another change to his XV with Zane Kirchner likely to start at full-back in the absence of Wales international Hallam Amos, who is representing his country in the Commonwealth Games 7s.

A number of promising back three prospects have been selected for the Italian tour along with former Springbok Kirchner and Ashton Hewitt, with Jared Rosser, Rio Dyer and Joe Goodchild all having made their Dragons debuts this season.

Sam Hobbs, who started against the Cheetahs, is not in the travelling party with Gerard Ellis, Luke Garrett and Josh Reynolds the options at loosehead.

Arwel Robson is the sole specialist fly-half in the squad with Gavin Henson injured, Dorian Jones on loan at Worcester and Angus O’Brien with Amos on 7s duty. That leaves Kirchner as the back-up 10.

Rynard Landman is back after missing out against the Cheetahs to battle with Joe Davies to be captain Cory Hill’s partner in the second row.

The Dragons squad features five players that were in the Wales squad for the Under-20s Six Nations – wings Dyer and Goodchild, loosehead Reynolds, back row/lock Max Williams and flanker Taine Basham.

Nine of the 26 have made their professional debuts this season - the Wales Under-20s quintet plus Rosser, centre Connor Edwards, Leonard and flanker Aaron Wainwright.

Dragons squad: Z Kirchner, A Hewitt, J Rosser, R Dyer, J Goodchild, A Warren, C Edwards, S Beard, A Robson, C Davies, O Leonard, G Ellis, L Garrett, J Reynolds, E Dee, L Belcher, L Fairbrother, D Suter, C Hill, R Landman, J Davies, M Williams, H Keddie, L Evans, A Wainwright, T Basham.