NEWPORT Gwent Dragons would be in the top half of the Zurich Premiership if they were in it, insists back row forward Ross Beattie who has just regained his place in the Scotland squad.

Beattie has hit back at those who claim there is a gap in standard between the Celtic League and the English and French championships after the four Welsh regions lost on the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup.

Ironically, Beattie wasn't in the Scottish squad for the Six Nations Championship last season when he was playing for the Dragons, yet he's in it for next month's internationals when he can't get into the regional team.

"It's very frustrating for me, I'm always pleased to play in Scotland and I want some game time to show what I can do," he said.

"But Chris Anderson doesn't change much. There are ways I could describe what's happening but I'm not going to.

"It's frustrating, he's picked a side and he wants to show them confidence so I've just got to sit and wait and hope I get a chance. I'm contracted to the Dragons for the next two years so anything else doesn't come into it.

"But it's annoying for the squad when we are perceived as this super team because players see that and it can take away the desire.

"Everyone wrote us off last year, everyone said we were rubbish, but we almost won the Celtic League title.

Now we've made big signings, there are no weaknesses and maybe we can get back to the team we were.

"We've certainly got to get the desire back. Last week was a wake-up call, we thought we could take them out if it was dry but once it was wet it was another matter and we didn't play sensibly.

"We want to prove we're a good side. All Newcastle did against us was kick although they did it perfectly in the conditions. We've got a fantastic backline, but they were clever and waited for a mistake.

"But I don't think there's a gap in the standard. If we were in the Zurich Premiership we would be at the top end.

"Look at our squad, there's internationals in every position. We lost that game through our own fault, they were more sensible, they were just clever."

Now Beattie, along with the rest, says the Dragons have to win in Edinburgh on Sunday in their second Heineken Cup group match.

"We realise we are good enough to win and we need to go there confident and full of desire," he said. "We do need to get a result and a win would be fantastic to get us on the move.

"We've got to take our Celtic League form into it. It's weird, it's the same teams in the Heineken Cup, but it's a completely different kind of standard because everyone raises their game.

"The referees are different, there's the TV build-up, it's a huge tournament, the best in the world and it creates an atmosphere of huge competition.

"Everyone puts extra into it, for spectators it's brilliant and it's fantastic rugby. Edinburgh will raise their game, but they've got key players out," he added, referring to Scott Murray, Simon Taylor and Tom Phillip.

"But Todd Blackadder is huge for them, he's a fantastic player and if we stop him we stop Edinburgh.

"We've trained hard this week and we will be looking to put the embarrassment of last weekend behind us."