Newport Gwent Dragons are going to win the Heineken Cup. Improbable, unlikely for sure, a bit facetious maybe, but the Dragons and coach Chris Anderson are continuing to defy all logic, not to mention their critics.

I started off by questioning Anderson, then felt they wouldn't win in Glasgow, would struggle against Leinster and could well come unstuck in Ulster.

But they won the lot, hence the reason for saying they'll probably win the Heineken Cup. They're surprising everyone, they're earning the respect of people like David Humphreys and they're climbing the Celtic League table.

Anderson confounds WRU bigwigs, surprises many in his own camp and continues to have heads shaking. But he is now beginning to get a response as the players realise his methods work. They respect the way he gives them the responsibility on match days plus the thoroughness of his preparation and mental effort and toughness.

It is said that individual Dragons' test results are down when they arrive in the Wales training camp. But how can that be when they win matches in Glasgow and Ulster and beat star-studded Leinster with an all-out second half effort? Look in the book, as they say.

And WRU chief David Moffett is delighted with the way the two real regions, the Dragons and Ospreys, are winning at the expense of stand alone Cardiff Blues and Llanelli Scarlets.

If that's the case Moffett and the WRU should pay the Dragons as the region they are.

Anderson and his sidekick, fellow Aussie Bob 'Billabong' Lanigan who is doing the Dragons conditioning, continue to make waves as they throw big boulders into the pond.

They were incredulous in Belfast on Friday that Humphreys could kick so much and were staggered when the crowd applauded it.

Boring and negative were the two politest words used.

This column is not meant to be a commercial plug, but I have to make an exception and recommend the wonderful La Mon Hotel and Country Club five miles outside Belfast. The actual owners, not to mention the rest of the staff, go out of their way and more to please and the incredible facilities there make it a holiday in itself.

Now to get really serious and return to the Heineken Cup. I remain convinced for all Anderson's good fortune and excellent results that the set piece is not good enough.

The line-outs remain a problem and the scrums are not stable enough, and when it comes to a team like French premier division leaders Perpignan there could be big problems.

There are many who would pick Michael Owen at number eight, Peter Sidoli at lock, Adam Black at prop and maybe Ross Beattie in the back row. But as Anderson says, they are not picking the team.

If that means the best back division at Rodney Parade in decades struggles for possession so be it, Anderson knows the players he wants with him in the trenches and won't budge.

I'll make one more suggestion - give the kicks at goal and to touch on the right hand side of the field to left foot specialist Percy Montgomery.