NEWPORT coach Leigh Jones can perhaps look forward to several celebrations in the weeks ahead, but the only celebration his mind is on at present is an unbeaten club home record this season.

In his role as skills coach with the Newport Gwent Dragons he could be celebrating an unbeaten home record with them and the Celtic League title soon.

With Newport it should be an unbeaten record and the Welsh Premier Division title, and both could come on Saturday if they beat Caerphilly and Cardiff upset Neath.

But Jones is almost hoping Neath don't lose because the thought of more than one club celebration is appetising.

"The home record is what we have talked about all week and that's all we're concerned with," he said.

"In fact, it would perhaps be a disappointment if Neath slipped up because I'm looking forward to two celebrations as opposed to one, the home record on Saturday and the title a week or two later.

"There has been a lot of bad publicity about Newport and the Dragons this year.

"But both sides have the opportunity to go unbeaten for the season and that's real positive news and a tremendous achievement.

"So that's the major focus on Saturday. If we get a result we'll celebrate the fact that we've gone a season unbeaten at home.

"Anything else will have to be put on ice until it is mathematically certain we have won the league." Jones has been delighted with his young team's progress and believes several players will progress even further.

"There were times during the early part of the season when we should have put our foot on the ball and played percentage rugby," said Jones.

"But when it has really mattered since Christmas we've played percentage rugby when we've had to and we've played open, expansive rugby when we've had to.

"I think that indicates how much these youngsters have developed and matured throughout the season.

"And anyway, wanting to play too much rugby is no bad thing. You can't shackle these youngsters. Perhaps that's something that's been done too much in Wales."

He added: "With these young players I think it's about exposure. By that I mean if you put the right youngster in the right environment with the right people that will expedite his development.

"There are a number of players at Newport who perhaps wouldn't have been considered Premier Division players at the start of the season, but because they've been exposed to the Premier environment and right atmosphere they are now fully-fledged Premier Division players.

"I'd like to think if a number of those players were exposed to the regional environment they would have the same kind of growth factor.

"If you look at certain games this season, they were real quality games and probably as quick and as physical as anything I was involved in last year with Newport in the old Premier Division.

"Throughout the season I have seen the standard improve. There's still a fair gulf between Premier Division rugby and regional rugby but I think it will close all the time."

As for the challenge of cup-finalists Caerphilly on Saturday night (kick-off 5.30pm), he said: "They've tended to be a Jekyll and Hyde side all season.

"I saw both cup semi-finals on Saturday and I thought Caerphilly were quite outstanding and thoroughly deserved their victory.

"They are capable when they set their minds to it of producing a real quality performance.

"I'm hoping they'll come to Newport with one eye on the final, but we have to be mindful they may fancy taking our ground record, hence we have chosen a strong side. We do not want to slip up at this late stage."