ANDY Marinos (pictured), Ian Gough and Chris Anthony return from Wales duty to the Newport team for their big Welsh/Scottish League game against Glasgow at Rodney Parade on Saturday night with a message ringing in their ears from coach Steve Hansen.
"Go back to your clubs, lead the way and be the stars," he has told his Wales players after their de-brief following the victory over Italy.
And Newport coach Ian McIntosh responds by saying of the Newport trio, "I know they will take the lead, I know they'll do just that."
Marinos starts despite a slight ankle strain, fresh from his outstanding try-scoring performance for Wales last Saturday.
Gough also starts and though Anthony is on the bench, with Adrian Garvey in the side, he will play a significant role.
And Hansen will be at Rodney Parade for the first time in his official capacity to run the rule over Newport, his Welsh players and also to take a keen interest in young number eight Andrew Powell.
He plays his first game for almost two months since breaking two bones in his hand. Hansen was already in Wales under predecessor Graham Henry when Powell was earmarked for promotion to the Wales team if Scott Quinnell had any more problems with his suspect knee.
Since then Powell has been out of the limelight, but Hansen will put him under scrutiny, especially against a Glasgow team brimming with internationals.
They provided fIVE members of the Scotland team which played Ireland last week -- wing Glenn Metcalfe, centres James McLaren and Andrew Henderson, hooker Gordon Bullock and big blindside flanker Jason White.
They have 10 other caps in their squad including dangerous half backs, skipper Andy Nicol and Tommy Hayes.
Glasgow destroyed Newport's outside hopes of the title last season when, in the corresponding fixture, they demolished them 27-6, playing typical wet weather rugby. This time Newport's title hopes are much higher, and if they win they will go back to the top of the table, a point ahead of Llanelli with a match in hand.
Newport will be without hamstring injury victim Jonathan Pritchard, so Matthew Watkins is at centre with Ben Breeze on the wing and Nathan Brew on the bench.
Powell for namesake Joe Powell is the only change up front from the Bonymaen game. With Marinos capped and Peter Buxton playing for England A, Newport are able to field a team made up entirely of full or A internationals.
Newport: M Pini, M Mostyn, A Marinos, M Watkins, B Breeze, S Howarth, O Tonu'u, R Snow, J Richards, A Garvey, S Raiwalui (captain), I Gough, P Buxton, A Powell, J Forster. Replacements: N Brew, J Strange, D Burn, C Anthony, P Young, J Powell, A Popham. Kick- off 5.30pm.
Newport Under-21s play Pontypridd Under-21s tonight at the University of Glamorgan. Newport Under 21s: J Rowles, G Landrigan, H Luscombe, S Williams, N Daniels, M Hook, M Thomas, R Evans, T R Thomas, G Robinson, A Jones, L Rosendale, D Tovey, I Hughes, G Gravell. Replacements: D Pattison, L Pearse, Ryan Jones, Rhys Jones, A Cox, B Savigor-Jones, A Quick. Kick-off 7.15pm.
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