NOW Newport Gwent Dragons need to take their best home form with them on the road after this eight-try romp against Edinburgh for their third Heineken Cup pool victory of the season on Saturday.

They followed up their stunning home success against French aces Perpignan by demolishing the Scots to gain ample revenge for their first Celtic League defeat at Rodney Parade at their hands in November.

Anything remotely similar against Newcastle on Sunday - or possibly even just a narrow victory - will leave them praying for a miracle at Murrayfield in the shape of a win by group cannon-fodder side Edinburgh against Perpignan, or even a draw.

But first the Dragons need to end their flattering-to-deceive habit, whereby they produce the goods at home, only to flop away, as they did with Perpignan.

For the moment, though, they can reflect on a job well done - they could hardly have been more convincing - against Edinburgh, and the fact that certain harsh lessons appear to have been learnt.

More time spent in training on the set pieces last week reaped a handsome reward, while Luke Charteris correctly started the game and showed the benefit as he played right through, while Percy Montgomery was much more involved.

Despite a hesitant start when the Scots could easily have scored three times, the Dragons took virtually every opportunity that arose, and had the bonus point they needed wrapped up in just 29 minutes.

Their all-out attacking policy paid dividends, though it has to be said a well-below-strength Edinburgh side offered little resistance after their early threats, and pretty much capitulated in the way Newcastle certainly won't.

But you can only beat what's in front of you, as they say, and the Dragons made a pretty handsome job of it.

The team ethic showed through strongly, and just about everyone contributed to a runaway victory, their biggest and the highest number of points this season.

Jamie Ringer took the man-of-the-match award for his superb all-action performance, into everything and relishing a free-running role.

But fellow flanker Jason Forster returned with a bang, easing himself back after his appendicitis, with Michael Owen retaining the captaincy, and scoring two tries into the bargain.

It took him just 14 minutes to get on the scoreboard as first Rhys Thomas - an infectious prop with real possibilities - then Ringer opened up the defence, and Forster was typically on hand to score.

Within two minutes of the restart Thomas again and Sione Tuipulotu were halted just short, Gareth Wyatt sped through, gave an overhead pass to Kevin Morgan and Forster was over.

Wyatt also nabbed two to show what a fine finisher he is. He raced clear for fully 80 yards from an interception for his first within five minutes of going on as a replacement for the stricken Nathan Brew, and then dashed over in the corner after a break by Hal Luscombe.

Luscombe set the ball rolling after just 11 minutes. He had already brought off a try-saving tackle on dangerous centre Ben Macdougall when a brilliant move started by Montgomery and involving Ian Gough, Forster, Thomas, Steve Jones and Ringer ended with Luscombe scoring.

On this form it will be hard for Wales coach Mike Ruddock to resist the claims of Luscombe for the Six Nations opener against England on February 5, despite the clamour to play both Sonny Parker and Tom Shanklin.

While on that subject, what about Dragons locks Gough and Charteris? Gough has recaptured the form which earned him 20 caps - he was everywhere, running, supporting, winning line-out ball and tackling heavily on Saturday - while Charteris is a phenomenon.

He played in his rightful position of middle jumper, won his own middle ball and took an Edinburgh throw to plunge over for a try himself.

But the best came 10 minutes from the end, when the 6ft 10in giant swept through with an astonishing 40-yard burst - a bit like a runaway giraffe - almost all the way to the line as a few opponents tried to climb on top of him, eventually crashing him to earth from a great height a few yards short, and Gareth Baber pounced for the try.

Charteris is another Dragon who could feature against England, while Gough ought, at the very least, to be restored to the squad.

The final try came from hard-working prop Adam Black after a terrific run by Montgomery and a flip pass over his head by Baber. A moment of black comedy followed, as with Ceri Sweeney off the field, no-one, not even Monty, was on hand to take the conversion until eventually replacement Craig Warlow popped up to put it over.

Which leads to the only quibble. After kicking everything at Stradey in the previous game, Sweeney's inconsistency returned as he succeeded with just three out of seven conversion attempts.

Newport Gwent Dragons: P Montgomery, N Brew (G Wyatt 18), H Luscombe (S Winn 69), S Tuipulotu, K Morgan, C Sweeney (C Warlow 69), G Baber, A Black, S Jones (J Richards 69), R Thomas (C Anthony 58), I Gough (P Sidoli 58), L Charteris, J Ringer (R Oakley 65), M Owen (captain), J Forster. Scorers - tries: J Forster (2), G Wyatt (2), H Luscombe, L Charteris, G Baber, A Black; conversions: C Sweeney (3), C Warlow. Edinburgh: D Lee (C Joiner 60), M Dey, H Southwell, B Macdougall, P Boston, B Laney (P Godman 58), R Lawson, A Jacobsen (A Dickinson 51), A Kelly, C Smith (A Jacobsen 65), F Pringle (A Kellock 58), S Murray (captain), A Strokosch, D Callam, A Hogg (T Blackadder 58). Scorer - try: F Pringle.