NEWPORT flanker Jason Forster's fear of flying will keep him closer to his team-mates for the rest of the season.

Forster, who slated this club colleagues for their performance in the 70-18 Heineken Cup defeat to Toulouse last Saturday, refuses to fly anywhere.

But with Newport out of Europe and the Celtic League, he will be able to travel with teammates for the rest of Welsh domestic season.

Forster travels to Newport games out of the country with groundsman and kit manager Mark Jones, and the pair took 26 hours to reach Toulouse via Portsmouth and Le Havre and 24 hours to return home.

They have also travelled to Ireland twice and Scotland by road and sea this season. "I have this fear of flying. I don't like it," said Forster.

Newport face their final Heineken Cup game of the season against Edinburgh at Rodney Parade on Saturday (2.30pm) needing to win to avoid their worst performance in their three years in the competition.

It is hoped that three-quarters Hal Luscombe and Luke Nabaro, who missed the Toulouse game, will be fit.

"We've got to regroup for the Edinburgh game and hopefully the injury situation will alleviate a little," said coach Leigh Jones.

"Obviously, the Toulouse result was devastating, but they were awesome and have got to be hot favourites to win the Heineken Cup."