WE can beat anyone on our day, warns Sale coach Kingsley Jones, pictured, who brings his English high fliers to Rodney Parade to face Newport Gwent Dragons in the Heineken Cup next season.

And it will be a sentimental journey for Jones, for even if he didn't actually play for Newport he's a true man of Gwent having been born and brought up here and played for Ebbw Vale, who he captained for four years, Cross Keys and Abertillery.

He is now blazing a trail on the coaching front, having cut his teeth with Doncaster, taking a big gamble but almost winning them promotion.

Sale spotted what he could do and signed him up as head coach, also re-uniting him with French ace Phillipe Saint Andre after the pair worked together as player and coach at Gloucester.

Jones recently signed a three-year extension to his contract at Sale, working with Saint Andre as director of rugby.

And this week's Heineken Cup draw put Sale and the Dragons in the same Heineken Cup pool for next season, meaning the likes of England captain Jason Robinson, fellow Lions Charlie Hodgson, Mark Cueto and Andrew Sheridan plus French caps Sebastien Bruno and Sebastien Chabal will be at Rodney Parade next season in a huge attraction.

"I spoke to Leigh Jones (Dragons forwards coach) straight after the draw," said Jones. "The draw is bizarre really because Castres coach Laurent Sennes is best mates with Phillipe and then there are my connections with the area and knowing 'Tommy' Turner and Leigh.

"It's going to be nice to come down and have a game which is more than just playing and going home afterwards which tends to be the case in professional rugby.

"I'll meet a few old faces and see a few old acquaintances, I'm looking forward to it already and it's going to be tough.

"I'd have preferred to play one of the other Welsh regions really, I actually had a feeling it would be Cardiff Blues, but we've got the Dragons.

"They're going to be strong, they'll have their Lions coming back who will bring a lot back with them.

"Their season faded at the end, but a lot was happening behind the scenes and players burn the season off. I won't read anything into that, Rodney Place is a hard place to go and try to win, I know that as well as anyone.

"I've watched the Celtic League on television and I'll study them even more now.

"But it's a tough group altogether and Munster will be the favourites with their quality and experience in the Heineken Cup.

"It'll be tough to win in Ireland, but they are not unbeatable and we feel we've got the team who can beat anyone on the day.

"Our home record is probably not as good as it should be and our away record is better, but in this competition you've got to win your home games and pick up one away."