Devastated

Newcastle are hardest hit, claiming they are without 16 of their 34-man Heineken Cup squad, they don't have an outside half and the goal kicking situation is so bad they are having a competition on Saturday to decide who takes the job on.

But the Dragons are also hard hit, without up to half-a-dozen of the squad they had to name before the pool stages of the competition. Neither lock Luke Charteris nor scrum half Gareth Cooper, both internationals, is fit to make the Dragons team, though it is hoped both will be able to take their places on the bench.

Nathan Brew is out after damaging ankle ligaments against Edinburgh Saturday while Hal Luscombe will play with a special splint on the thumb he damaged in the same match. Number eight Richard Bryan is out for the season while Ross Beattie and Jon Bryant have departed for Northampton and Cardiff Blues respectively.

But prop Rod Snow has made a quick recovery from his knee ligament injury and is fit to resume on the bench.

If Charteris fails a fitness test on his chest and rib injuries it would mean third choice hooker Kieran Crawford being drafted in as a replacement back row forward.

If Cooper can't make the bench either there will be no back-up scrum half, leaving centre Sione Tuipulotu to switch there if Graeth Baber is injured, with Steve Winn and Craig Warlow the two back subs.

Newcastle are without injured outside halves Jonny Wilkinson and Dave Walder (both knee), full backs Matt Burke (knee) and Joe Shaw (ankle), centres Jamie Noon (head), Epi Taione (hamstring) and Mark Mayerhofler (leg), wing Tom May and scrum half Hall Charlton (both with 'flu), props Micky Ward (arm), James Isaacson ('flu), David Wilson (knee) and Marius Hurter (left club), hooker Stuart Mackie (shoulder), lock Andy Buist (knee) and flanker Ed Williamson (shoulder) while ex-Celtic Warriors flanker Cory Harris is not registered.

"If the game was being played today we couldn't fulfil the fixture," said Newcastle director of rugby Rob Andrew. "In all my years in the game I have never been in a situation like this.

"We haven't got enough front row forwards which is the biggest danger and we've got to hope some of the injured guys come right by Sunday.

"There is a risk we might have to name injured front row forwards to fulfil the game. We have no fly halves, no goal kickers, it's so bad we're having a kicking competition on Saturday to see who fancies a crack."

Andrew calls on supporters to help them through, saying "It's the biggest game Kingston Park has ever seen and the fans could be the difference between winning and losing.

"Newport are a good side and they're not happy we beat them down there, so they're coming up here to blow us away.

"That's their approach and our crowd will be an extra man for us. Our support is really growing and is passionate, but they have to be the noisiest they have ever been. We need them badly.

"If you don't have a ticket get one and drag your mates down as well because Newcastle are just 80 minutes away from being one of the best teams in Europe. Whatever it takes, we need your help."

Dragons team: P Montgomery, G Wyatt, H Luscombe, S Tuipulotu, K Morgan, C Sweeney, G Baber, A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, I Gough, P Sidoli, J Ringer, M Owen, J Forster (captain). Replacements (from) C Warlow, G Cooper, R Snow, J Richards, C Anthony, L Charteris, R Oakley, S Winn, K Crawford. Kick-off 1pm.