WORCESTER Warriors’ European Challenge Cup pool is “wide open” and they can still qualify for the knockout stages, insists coach Sam Vesty.

But the former Bath and Leicester Tigers ace admits Warriors must topple Newport Gwent Dragons at Sixways tomorrow (3pm) to keep their quarter-finals hopes alive.

The Sixways outfit are bottom of Pool Three after defeats to Russian minnows Enisei-STN (19-12) and French club Brive (25-24) in their opening cup matches.

The Dragons are second after roaring to a 37-16 home triumph over Brive in their opener.

However, the Welsh region crashed to a 38-18 defeat at Enisei who lead the group.

“I think we can still qualify,” said Vesty, who coaches Worcester’s backs and is overseeing the club’s European tilt.

“The Russian team won their games at home and now they’ve got to travel.

“The group is wide open now and I would love for us to be in a better position but I think there’s somewhere to go in this.

“But we certainly need to win tomorrow to make that a possibility.”

Dragons could land a telling blow in their own bid for a third successive season of knockout rugby.

But Kingsley Jones’ men have not won away from Newport this season and visit on the back of a 28-15 loss at Guinness Pro12 title hopefuls Leinster.

Dragons’ last away win was at Gloucester in the Euro quarter-finals last term.

Vesty said: “As a team, Dragons like to play a lot of rugby and from deep. They can bring it and we are going to be very aggressive in defence.

“We have had a big focus on us as a team and on making sure we do our bits right. If we do, we are a formidable unit.”

Vesty added: “There are times when we want to give our more senior guys a game to keep them match fit and there are times when they need a rest. We will use it tactically.”