NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coach Paul Turner, below, has issued an upbeat message ahead of the final run-in to the Celtic League season which gets under way again this weekend after the Six Nations Championship.

The Dragons are bottom-but-one in the table, but are level on points with the Ospreys and just two points behind Glasgow with two games in hand. Only seven points separate them from Cardiff Blues, the highest placed Welsh team, the Dragons having a match in hand.

They are, therefore, in a good position to ensure Heineken Cup qualification for next season, though they face a tough start to their run-in when they face league leaders Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday (3.30pm).

But Turner is convinced the Dragons have a bright future. "There is huge potential here and my job has only just started," he said.

In fact, he is so committed to the future of rugby in south-east Wales that he again told WRU chief executive Steve Lewis this week that he was not interested in the Welsh coaching job.

"We've always said that if we keep all our players and take any opportunity to bring in what I consider the right type of player for our style of play we could have a bright future," he added.

"This has been a development season for me and the team and if we can qualify for Europe next season we are on our way, though other factors will determine just how far we will develop.

"European cup-ties at Thomond Park are not the ideal place to send three youngsters out, but we've done that and they're learning a great deal.

"We've got to get a balance which will be great when people like Kevin Morgan, Gareth Cooper and Gareth Wyatt return. With me being able to bring in the right type of player the balance will be a lot better. We all get hurt by defeat, but we're not far away.

"It's a big weekend (the Blues are home to Glasgow tomorrow night, the Scarlets are home to Munster on Saturday and the Ospreys home to Edinburgh on Sunday) and we hope to perform."

Turner sees the re-signing of Wales centre Hal Luscombe as crucial, but if Luscombe doesn't do so the coach will line up two other players.

"We've talked to Hal before and after Christmas and we hope he comes back with some good news, if not we'll get a couple of players in," he said.

"We want to keep him, he's had a good season and it's down to our style that if we supply players like that with quality ball they will damage sides."

- Cornish Pirates pair Matt Jess, the former England Under-21s wing, and back row forward Joe Bearman are poised to join the Dragons.

- Ulster are unchanged for the game against the Dragons, the only absentee being Ireland threequarter Andrew Trimble, who is still suffering from a knee injury.

- Cardiff Blues and Cardiff City are in talks about a possible ground-sharing arrangement at City's new stadium.

If a deal is reached the Blues could move from the Arms Park and pay City rent, with the Cardiff Premier Division team housed at Leckwith Stadium and the Arms Park sold off for millions of pounds.

A similar arrangement to the one proposed happens with the Ospreys and at three English grounds involving Watford and Saracens, Wycombe and Wasps and Reading and London Irish.