NEWCASTLE director of rugby Rob Andrew has called on Newport Gwent Dragons coach Chris Anderson and flanker Jamie Ringer to apologise for remarks they made ahead of Sunday's Heineken Cup showdown at Kingston Park.

Ringer said on Saturday after the Dragons beat Edinburgh, "the attitude Newcastle showed after the game here wasn't great. Rob Andrew said a few things about them coming down and doing a job, then they shot off without having any of our hospitality.

"Andrew was a bit arrogant, they said a few things and we haven't forgotten it."

Anderson added, "we were upset, we got beat and it showed what they thought of us, but it's a long season and when we go back up there we'll have an opportunity to shove it back in his face."

But Andrew blasted back today, "Having read what they have come out with this week there is no doubt that they owe our fans a full apology, as they were completely out of order.

"To say that my comments before and after the game were arrogant is a totally ridiculous line to take and is disrespectul and unprofessional. They certainly owe us and our fans an apology if we are to draw a line under this.

"For Jamie Ringer to have a go at us for not attending the post-match hospitality was highly offensive, given that the reason was so that we could fly up to a function for the wife and children of one of our players who tragically died last year.

"We told the Dragons this well in advance, and for a player to spout off like that is just outrageous, although not totally unexpected I must say.

"This really upset some of our supporters, as well as our player Epi Taione who organised the function to say goodbye to Soa Otuvaka's wife and children."