NEWPORT have named a 24-man squad for tomorrow night's Welsh/Scottish League clash against Glasgow at Hughenden.
They are without seven players because of injury, have decided to rest another and several more have niggles and are not sure of their fitness.
Because of that the Newport side will not be named until just before kick-off. Ruled out for injury reasons are full back Matt Pini, centres Andy Marinos, Jonathan Pritchard and Nathan Brew, scrum halves Ofisa Tonu'u and Dale Burn plus back row forward Alix Popham.
Popham would have played after a long period without being selected, but has suffered a hamstring injury in training.
Matthew Watkins has been left out of the squad altogether. "He needs a break because he's played a lot of rugby and needs a step back from this weekend," explained coach Ian McIntosh.
He has included under-21 backs James Rowles and Scott Williams, with Hal Luscombe sure to retain his place in the centre after a promising performance against Cardiff. "With our injury problems we've had to rest players and we're still awaiting fitness reports," said McIntosh. "But we still intend fielding a strong team."
McIntosh refuses to be blown off course despite the recent slips and good form of their rivals which has resulted in Newport falling from first to fourth in the table. "We intend winning all our remaining games and don't want to leave it in the hands of others," he said.
Squad: E Lewis, J Rowles, M Mostyn, H Luscombe, S Williams, B Breeze, J Strange, S Howarth, L Lane, M Thomas, R Snow, C Jones, P Young, J Richards, C Anthony, A Garvey, S Raiwalui (captain), I Gough, M Voyle, J Powell, P Buxton, A Powell, J Forster, G Gravell. Kick-off 7.30pm.
l Experienced wing Martyn Llewellyn has quit rugby after nine years with Newport. He made 134 appearances for the senior side, but his only game this season was against Uruguay when he scored a 70-yard try.
He has been on loan to Pontypool, but has found it difficult combining a career as an accountant with professional rugby.
"He was a very professional member of the squad on and off the field," said team manager Jim McCreedy.
"It's always sad when this sort of thing happens, but that's the way of professional rugby."
Former Newport director of rugby, Allan Lewis, was set to be unveiled as Bridgend's director of rugby on a new three-year contract later today.
Lewis has been director of rugby at the Brewery Field on a temporary basis after resigning from a similar post with Newport in January.
At the time he said he had no wish to return to a Premier club on a regualr basis. But now he is set to do so with the job of turning an under-performing star-laden Bridgend team into an outfit capable of winning silverware.
*PICTURED: Newport's Hal Luscombe will face Glasgow tomorrow.
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