NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have pledged they will secure an automatic place in next season's Heineken Cup by ensuring they are third best Welsh team in the Celtic League.

They go into tomorrow night's game against Munster at Rodney Parade one off the pace, fourth in the pecking order, but with games in hand over their rivals.

"It's a huge run-in for us, but we've got some players back from international duty and the pressure is on them to lift the side," said Dragons captain Jason Forster.

"We're in a dogfight, we're in a corner and we've got to come out fighting. It's a big challenge, but there's a great spirit and will to succeed here and this will show what we're about.

"You need characters and the right guys around you, which is what we've got. If you're going to war you want a guy like Ceri Sweeney to get you out.

"We're all tight, we're all fighters and we shouldn't be where we are. We want to put that right and qualify for the Heineken Cup."

Sweeney has no doubts about the outcome as the Dragons seek to overhaul rivals the Ospreys. "If we win on Friday it sets us up nicely, but I don't think it will be finally sorted until the last weekend," he said.

"It's a bit like a league within a league, we've targeted a few games and we've done well the last twice we've played Munster.

"We're getting better. I noticed the difference when I came back to training from the Wales camp, we seem more together, more decisive and a lot sharper. We can get the third spot, I'm confident of that."

Sweeney sees no problem with Hal Luscombe leaving at the end of the season to join Harlequins. "It's professional rugby, he's been here seven years and he fancied a different experience," he said."He's given his all here and he goes with everyone's best wishes. I hope he does well for himself." Sweeney has a year to run on his contract with the Dragons and has no plans to move on. "I'm happy here," he said.

Dragons: A Thomas, G Wyatt, H Luscombe, C Sweeney, N Brew, C Warlow, G Baber, A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, I Gough, L Charteris, J Ringer, M Owen, J Forster (captain). Replacements: A Brown, D Maddocks, C Anthony, P Sidoli, R Oakley, J Bryant, J Ireland. Kick-off 7.10pm.