Australian centre Marc Stcherbina is in good spirits after undergoing surgery on a neck injury at the weekend, Welsh rugby club Newport Gwent Dragons says.

Stcherbina spent his 32nd birthday in a French hospital on Sunday after he was hurt in a head-on tackle during a Heineken Cup match against Toulouse the previous day.

A Dragons spokeswoman said the club hoped to confirm on Wednesday when Stcherbina would be returning to Wales.

"Marc is in good spirits and hopefully should be coming home at the end of the week," she said on Tuesday.

Dragons rugby manager Robert Beale said Stcherbina had sent him a text message to wish the team luck for Saturday's return game.

"It was quite humbling really to receive that and it shows what a gentleman he is," Beale told Britain's The Daily Telegraph.

"Marc is such a great character, very well respected and he has been receiving the best care possible from the people in Toulouse and from our medical staff."

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