NEWPORT Rugby Club are hoping dynamic scrum-half Ofisa Tonu'u will be 'fighting fit' within a fortnight.

After a second ex amination of his injured knee yesterday, a specialist reaffirmed his opinion that fluid on the knee, causing pressure, had resulted in him breaking down in training last week.

"The fluid has been drained off and, with anti-inflammatory drugs, we are hoping he will be back in training and fighting fit in 10 to 14 days," said Newport head coach Leigh Jones.

"Let's hope this is the end of it and that he gets no further reaction when he trains again." Initially, Newport feared the problem might have been with the knee ligament he damaged towards the end of last season and that Tonu'u might be out for up to ten weeks.

That would have been a massive blow following the six-week's absence of lock Ian Gough as the Samoan is one of the finest scrum-halves in Europe.

Yesterday, Tonu'u acted as deputy coach and assisted with a training session as he hates sitting on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, another international, former Wales full-back Shane Howarth, will be out of training for a fortnight as he is having wisdom teeth removed.

"We could have waited until the Autumn internationals," said Jones, "but I think it's wise to get it out of the way now."

Howarth will miss the friendly with Pontypool at Pontypool Park on August 3.