HERE are a massive 17 points between Sale and Newport Gwent Dragons in Pool One of the Heineken Cup, but ex-Ebbw Vale captain Kingsley Jones, coach of the English high fliers, insists they will still pay the Dragons every respect on Sunday.

The Guinness Premiership leaders are on 18 points after winning all four games compared with the Dragons' paltry one when they secured a losing bonus in Castres.

And Sale romped to a runaway 38-11 victory when the sides met at Rodney Parade in October.

Sale are five points clear at the top of the pool and if Munster lose in Castres on Friday night Sale will be guaranteed a home draw in the quarter-finals if they beat the Dragons, irrespective of their final game in Munster.

But Jones says Sale will take nothing for granted in front of a packed Edgeley Park crowd on Sunday.

"The Dragons are a dangerous side and they can score tries from anywhere. We won't go away from our strengths and we will treat this no differently from any other game," he said.

"It's difficult to get up for it every week, but we have hammered it home this week that we have got to pay the Dragons respect.

"Toulouse lost at home to bottom team Bayonne at the weekend when they had 14 internationals in their side and it was probably difficult to motivate themselves.

"Look at Toulouse against Ebbw Vale a few years ago when they won by 100 points over there but lost the return.

"We only beat Bristol by two points last week. We had 90% of the game, but let them back in which shows you can't take your foot off because one second can change it.

"The big danger to us on Sunday is everyone is saying we will win and with a bonus. The crowd will turn up and if we don't score in the first 15 minutes they'll go quiet. I promise you I'll be on the edge of my seat until we've got enough."

How does Jones rate his 'home' region? "I've seen their last five games when they've shown glimpses of what they can do," he said.

"I've seen the best of them like when they scored that try in Munster as well as the worst like conceding a silly try off a drop-out against Connacht.

"I'm expecting a more physical game from them, they're getting better and Hal Luscombe, Jon Bryant and Ceri Sweeney are a strong midfield.

"Jon has got the habit of turning up and surprising people, he'd like nothing more than coming up here and getting stuck into us.

"There's also a lot of respect in the club and among the supporters for Paul Turner (he was player-coach there in his first role after leaving Gwent). Hopefully it'll be a great day."

Jones, who played for Gloucester and Worcester after leaving Ebbw Vale, coaching Gloucester as well, can still hardly believe the way he has progressed.

"It's too good to be true. I'm pleased to be here and it's amazing where the team is," he said. "But you always want to get higher, you can't relax."

Chris Horsman signed a massive new three-year deal with Worcester yesterday with his agent and lawyers at the Celtic Manor Resort worth £650,000 over three years. The recently qualified Wales tight head prop, ruled out of the Six Nations by an ankle injury, was being chased by Llanelli Scarlets and Cardiff Blues.