EBBW Vale are waiting on the fitness of four forwards before finalising their side to face rivals Newport at Eugene Cross Park on Saturday night.

Locks Ockert Booyse and Peter Sidoli have got back and shoulder problems respectively, while blindside flankers Chay Billen (groin) and Rhys Williams (knee) are also struggling.

A final decision on who plays in the Welsh Premier Division Gwent derby will be taken after training tomorrow morning.

Definitely back are centre Rhys Shorney (pictured) , who missed the Neath game with a hand injury and Tyron Morris as a specialist openside flanker.

Vale are still smarting from their one point defeat by a weakened Neath side after they had beaten Swansea, Llanelli and Pontypridd.

"Neath players said afterwards that the last penalty (kicked by former Vale player Shaun Connor to win the match) was not a penalty, that they told the referee it was and he just blew," said Vale coach Mike Ruddock.

"That hurt a bit because we'd been going so well, especially at home.

"We are confident about Saturday, though we realise that Newport have got enough ammunition to come here and play like they did last year (Newport won 32-22, scoring five tries to one)."

Ruddock denies that the bad weather forecast would be in their favour.

"We have expanded our game, we're playing some good rugby and we want good conditions the way we're playing," he said.

Ebbw Vale: R Davies, A Takarangi, R Shorney, E Binham, A Bevan, S Mitchell, B Shelbourne, A Black, L Phillips (captain), M Jones, O Booyse or P Sidoli, N Edwards, C Billen or R Williams, K Tuipolutu, T Morris. Replacements: M Meenan, N Wakely, D Penisini, K Crawford, W Thomas, A N Other.