DRAGONS head of performance Dan Baugh could find himself in hot water with the United Rugby Championship after putting his hand on referee Ben Whitehouse and being ordered off the pitch.

The former Canada back rower relays messages to the players when acting as water boys for the Rodney Parade club.

However, Baugh was effectively sent off after a flashpoint in Saturday’s 20-5 win against the Ospreys.

He came onto the pitch when referee Ben Whitehouse was about to view footage of Mat Protheroe’s dangerous tackle on Will Reed, which subsequently earned a red card.

After asking TMO Ian Davies to stop the review process, he reprimanded Baugh, who then put his hands on the Welsh official in front of assistant Gwyn Morris.

“Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan," said Whitehouse. "Come here.

“You ever shout at me [Baugh protests]. No, listen to me very clearly. You ever talk to me and shout at me like that again and you will be in the stand."

To which Baugh protested: "I'm talking to my players. Ben, I can talk to my players."

The Dragons coach then put his right hand on Whitehouse's right upper arm.

"Don't touch me," said the referee to Baugh.

Whitehouse then said to the official on the sideline: "This man stays off the field from now on. He does not come on the field again, Dan Baugh. Thank you."

After going through the process for Protheroe’s red card, Whitehouse clarified what he wanted to happen before the game restarted.

“Can you just make sure that the team manager does not let that man back on the field, thank you,” he said. “We will speak about it after the game.”

Baugh did stay on the sideline and continued to play a role when helping the Dragons replacements warm up.

"I was up in the gantry trying to figure things out and all I heard was that Dan couldn’t come back onto the field. I will look into it and try to speak to Ben," said Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan after the game.