NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coach Chris Anderson has refused to make an apology to Newcastle after Rob Andrew, their director of rugby, demanded one.

As reported in the later editions of yesterday's Argus, Andrew said the 'arrogant' claims directed at him by Anderson and flanker Jamie Ringer were "a ridiculous line to take" and "completely out of order."

"It is disrespectful as well as unprofessional. They certainly owe us and our fans a full apology if we are to draw a line under this," he said.

But Anderson is unrepentant and uncompromising. "I'm not apologising for anything," said the tough talking Aussie.

"If he wants to jump up and down that's fine, but he's not getting anything from us. "He started it by obviously saying stuff after the game which upset the players.

He's got every right to say things, but it's a long season and it can come back to bite you. "He should have been satisfied with the win, but he wanted to have a shot at the Celtic League so what does he expect?

"Jamie Ringer is a fair dinkum bloke and he doesn't shoot from the hip.

"But Andrew had a shot at us after the game which leaves him open for a reply from ourselves."

Andrew also claimed the Dragons had been informed Newcastle would be leaving straight after the game to attend a function in aid of the family of a player who had died.

But Anderson also raises a question mark over that. "No-one at the club knew about him (Andrew) going to a function because the food was all ready for them," he said. "And it strikes me as funny that they had a major function of a personal nature like that arranged after an away game."

Meanwhile, Neath-Swansea Ospreys say they will try to give the Dragons a helping hand in their bid to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.

If the Dragons beat Newcastle with a bonus point at Kingston Park on Sunday and Perpignan do likewise against Edinburgh at Murrayfield the Dragons will need the Ospreys to defeat Castres at the Gnoll to have a chance of making the last eight as one of the two best runners-up.

"We said the match with Castres would be the start of next season's Heineken Cup campaign for the Ospreys and we'd set ourselves a target of three wins as a springboard for that," said assistant coach Sean Holley.

"We know the score, and first and foremost we'll be concentrating on ourselves.

"The ideal would be to qualify for the quarter-finals ourselves, but the next best thing is to see another Welsh side in the mix and if we can nudge the Dragons forward that would be a bonus."

Anderson was happy to reply to that one, too. "That's a good attitude, all the Welsh sides should have it," he said.