Newport Wasps have been dealt a double blow as they prepare a hot welcome for Premier League champions Sheffield on Sunday.

Wasps, already denied the services of skipper Craig Watson, are now without dashing Dane Niels Kristian Iversen who will be riding in the World Under-21 championship in the German town of Abensberg on Monday.

Tim Stone, Newport's promoter, will use rider replacement for track record holder Iversen.

Watson's place in the seven has been filled by fellow Australian Adam Shields who rides for the Isle of Wight.

Watson rides in the fourth quarter-final for Grand Prix qualification next year at Belgium's Heusden-Zolder track.

* Phil Morris, Reading's Welsh-born rider who lives in Cwmfelinfach, begins his comeback trail a week today.

He has been out of action with a dislocated shoulder following a crash in Newport's opening Premier League meeting of the season on April 20.

He rides for his Swedish club Gislaved at the Avesta home of Elite League club Masarna - venue for last weekend's Swedish Grand Prix when it was switched from Stockholm because of the public workers' strike.

Morris then faces a real test when he competes in the demanding Welsh Open a week on Sunday, Wales' biggest speedway weekend of the year.

It follows the British Grand Prix at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and Wasps' home meeting with Glasgow a week tomorrow. Morris' Premier League return will be at home to the Isle of Wight, the day after the Welsh Open.

Morris, who will be wearing a special shoulder brace, said: "It is the longest I have been out of the saddle. It was quite a bad dislocation

"I had a successful ride on Monday at Reading, although the shoulder was quite sore the following morning."

Morris is exercising to build-up the muscles and is out every day mountain biking on the hills near his valleys home.

* Jamie Westacott, in the Newport Mavericks line-up for their Conference League meeting with Sheffield on Sunday has accepted an invitation to ride for Reading juniors in a meeting with Swindon on Monday night.

Sunday's meeting is a double-header at Hayley Stadium.