NEWPORT Gwent Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones is relishing the chance to emulate last season by emerging from a tricky group in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

The Rodney Parade side have been drawn with the Sharks, Castres and Pau in Pool Two of the tournament, which next season carries the prize of a place in the Champions Cup for the winners.

The Dragons were semi-finalists last season and, with the Top 14 undoubtedly a priority for the French duo, their hopes of enjoying more knockout rugby are likely to be shaped by their encounters with their English opponents.

And Jones is excited about locking horns with Sale where he was on the management team between 2004 and 2011, winning the Aviva Premiership and European Challenge Cup.

"I got an email straight away from (Sale co-owner) Ian Blackhurst and it will be good to go back," said the former Wales flanker.

"It's been four years since I left but I've got so many friends there and it will be good to return on a personal front but it should also be a great game.

"Sale have done really well over the last two seasons and have some quality players so it will be a good test.

"I'm looking forward to catching up with friends from Sale while I also played with (Pau head coach) Simon Mannix at Gloucester."

Europe proved to be the catalyst for the Dragons' strong second half to 2014/15 and they topped a group including Stade Francais, who became French champions last weekend, Newcastle and Bucharest.

That was followed by a memorable quarter-final win against fierce rivals Cardiff Blues before a disappointing last-four hammering at the hands of Edinburgh.

"We will take each game as it comes but we would love to emulate last year by topping our pool and ultimately the aim is to go at least one stage further.

"Murrayfield was a huge disappointment but it was a great tournament for us and, while we won't set big targets, we definitely want to do well again and back up last year.

"I would have liked to go back to Russia (where he was formerly head coach) to play Enisei-STM but instead we've got two French sides and it will be a good challenge against them.

"We will see what sort of sides they play in Europe but French clubs have very strong squads of 40 excellent players.

"Some of them can be a bit rusty and they are quite as cohesive (as their Top 14 XVs) but they are always strong and it can almost be like going into the unknown despite them having such quality individuals."

Star names in the Castres squad include Samoan powerhouse wing David Smith, Scotland lock Richie Gray and France scrum-half Rory Kockott while Pau are bringing in All Blacks Conrad Smith and Colin Slade to join French internationals Damien Traille and Julien Pierre in a team that romped to promotion last season.

Stade Francais made sweeping changes for the Challenge Cup last season and didn't even register stars such as Sergio Parisse, Pascal Pape and Waisea Nayacelavu.

However, their matchday squad for the Top 14 final success against Clermont Auvergne at the Stade de France last Saturday featured 11 players who played in either or both or their losses to the Dragons in Paris and Newport.

The opening round of European action is on the weekend of November 12 with the schedule and dates to be confirmed once TV bosses have had their say.