Doubts ahead of New Years show down

By Paul
December 31 2002

Newport and Cardiff both have injury problems going into their New Years day match at Rodney Parade. For the Black & Ambers it's an ideal chance to get one over on their city slicker rivals, with the Blue & Blacks resting several key players ahead of their Celtic League semi final.

The sides have already met once this season, the Blue & Blacks winning the Celtic League clash at Rodney Parade 27-25 courtesy of a Shane Howarth penalty miss in injury time and a hatrick of tries from Craig Morgan.

Both are going through a very inconsistent period of form. Newport lost to Llanelli at Stradey on boxing day as well as a defeat at home to Bridgend, in a match they dominated. But the Black & Ambers did beat London Irish in the Heineken cup, although they got a hammering in the return at the Madjeski.

Cardiff have come unstuck in recent weeks, losing closely in a mud bath at Sardis Road, having been slaughtered at the Arms Park by Northampton, failing to get on the score sheet with an inexperienced. However Dai Young's side will rest several key members of the squad ahead of Saturday's "Battle of Wales" against Neath in their Celtic League semi-final. The side picked for tomorrow's derby will be similar to the one that beat Ebbw Vale 34-6 at the CAP.

The match could be the last between the sides at the highest level, ever played at Rodney Parade. The first between the two clubs took place in the 1875/76 season, but at a ground known as the Marshes. Such a fixture will continue in the future but not with such significance as season's past.

Newport's Fijian Captain Simon Raiwalui fully knows the importance of the derby game.

"It's a big game for us. It's New Year's Day and Cardiff at home is obviously a huge occasion for the club.

"You never know, it could be the last one, so it takes on a great importance.

"We need a good performance from the team to get the confidence up. We are doing some things right but other things are going wrong and that's where we are coming unstuck. But we can right a few wrongs and there's no better opportunity than playing against a team like Cardiff."

"There were some home truths said after the Llanelli game and I think some good has come out of it. There's no point in blaming each other. We have to look at what's causing the problem. Instead of pointing the finger you just have to pull tighter together.

"We have to do the business against Cardiff and not accept anything else. There's always pressure when you are not doing too well but it's about how you cope with that - whether you stand up to it and take it like a man or cower down and hide."

The match is being shown live on S4C. Coverage starts at 5.10 and kicks off at 5.30.

Newport have delayed naming their starting XV due to an on going injury crisis.

Backs from - Percy Montgomery, Matt Mostyn, Jason Jones-Hughes, Alex
Cadwallader, Jon Pritchard, Andrew Marinos, Luke Nabaro, Hal Luscombe, Shane
Howarth, Ofisa Tonu'u, Dale Burn, Jason Strange.

Forwards from - Rod Snow, Ceri Jones, James Richards, Paul Young, Adrian
Garvey, Chris Anthony, Simon Raiwalui, Ian Gough, Mike Voyle, Andrew Powell,
Rhys Jones, Steve Ojomoh, Gareth Gravell, Jason Forster.

The Cardiff squad is yet to be announced as they also have injury doubts