NEWPORT Rugby Club are aiming to end their home campaign on a high tonight with a victory over Aberavon which would maintain their sixth place.

They will then travel to Llanelli for their final game on Saturday in the knowledge another win would see them finish fifth.

Only Neath in the past three seasons have managed a league double over the Black and Ambers, so another incentive for Newport tonight is to ensure Aberavon don't achieve that, the Wizards having won 39-7 at Talbot Athletic Ground in October.

"Without a doubt we want to go out on a high and give our fans, who have been superb again all season, something to shout about," said coach David Rees.

"It will be a tough game. Aberavon returned to form with an excellent win (25-24) over Bridgend at the weekend. They had been struggling with injuries but now have a few of their players back.

"We have had a few weeks of tough rugby and I have been pleased with the attitude of the players following the cup defeat at Maesteg and the Bedwas loss which followed.

"The league loss at Maesteg was also disappointing, but was not as the scoreline suggests, and to beat Cross Keys, Ebbw Vale and Pontypool, three tough Gwent derbies, was satisfying.

"We need two wins to take us into fifth spot and that would be a satisfactory finish given various difficulties this season (chiefly Dragons calls and injuries)."

Full back Ricky Williams, scrum half Matthew Thomas and flanker Marc Popham are all away and unavailable tonight so Newport give a second game to Cardiff University full back Matthew Hopper.

Dan Griffiths will continue at outside half, but Rees has still to finalise the rest of his line-up, several of the players on duty making their final appearances at Rodney Parade.

Newport (from): backs - M Hopper, W Kershaw-Naylor, R Fussell, G Chapman, J Taylor, R Shorney, R Payne, J Rowles, D Griffiths, A Walker, G Crothers, I Evans, D Pattison, A Brown, G Robinson, R James, M Workman, M Veater, N Watkins, C Powell, R Jones, R Dale, S Waldron, C Davies. Kick-off 7.15pm.