NEWPORT backs Shane Howarth and Jason Jones-Hughes are still struggling to make it for Sunday's Principality Cup final against Neath at the Millennium Stadium.

With time running out Howarth is described by Newport director of rugby Allan Lewis as being 60-40 against playing in the cup final.

And Jones-Hughes' chances are worse than that, Lewis calling it 70-30 against.

"Shane popped a joint in his shoulder and Jason has strained knee ligaments," said Lewis.

"But Scott Mitchell has done well for us while Shane has been out."

Howarth himself is remaining tight lipped about his chances of playing in the final.

"I'm not saying anything, we'll see on Sunday afternoon," he said guardedly.

Howarth had missed only one of Newport's 29 games until he damaged his shoulder at Swansea on April 21.

In those 28 appearances, he had racked up 403 points, a new club record to become the first Newport player to top 400 points in a season. Mitchell has been no slouch either, scoring 47 points in three appearances deputising for Howarth.

But a cup final against a fired up Neath side will be a different proposition altogether, and Newport can ill afford to go in without a player of Howarth's calibre and experience.

Jones-Hughes was being hard pressed by Matthew Watkins for the outside centre berth in any case, and his absence might not be felt as keenly as Howarth's.

At least those problems have been offset by the sudden availability of lock Simon Raiwalui, who finally managed to persuade the Fijian Rugby Union to allow him to play and miss the trial match for the Epson Pacific Rim tournament.

Raiwalui, who will succeed Gary Teichmann as Newport captain next season, will fly out the day after the cup final in time for the second trial. Player of the year Rod Snow heads in a different direction to play for Canada against the USA a week Saturday.