NEWPORT have been forced to delay selection of the team to face Swansea in the Welsh/Scottish League tomorrow night at St Helen's, a ground where they last won over 25 years ago, writes Robin Davey.

Half backs Ofisa Tonu'u and Shane Howarth are both out after suffering injuries in Wednesday's disaster against Neath.

The club are awaiting results of a scan on Tonu'u knee injury, but there are fears he could be out for the rest of the season, though there are hopes Howarth, who suffered a damaged rib cartilage against Neath, may not miss the rest of the campaign.

With Dale Burn sidelined because of a broken ankle it means third choice scrum half Llyr Lane and Jason Strange are likely to face Swansea, though Lane has recently gained valuable experience with Ebbw Vale, playing in the Principality Cup semi-final against Llanelli.

But their scrum half replacement will probably have to be an under-21 player, though Andy Marinos has played there in South Africa.

Newport have other problems, with wing Matt Mostyn, centre Jonathan Pritchard and blindside flanker Peter Buxton all nursing slight injuries.

Pressing for inclusion in the side irrespective of injuries as Newport seek some fresh impetus are Wales Under-21 centre Hal Luscombe and loose head prop Ceri Jones. Newport badly need to get their act together again and they will have to crack that St Helen's bogey to maintain their title challenge after slipping up badly against Neath. Their last success at St Helen's was way back in September 1976 when they won 9-0, and before that their previous win was back in 1972.

At least Swansea have similar injury problems. They have also delayed selection of their side, probably until tomorrow.

Already ruled out are new Wales captain Colin Charvis and locks Andy Moore and James Griffiths, leaving them without a recognised middle jumper.

l Wales could know their World Cup opponents within a month as Australian rugby chiefs today stepped up preparations for staging next year's global spectacular. Australia have been handed sole custody of the 2003 tournament after International Rugby Board bosses ditched New Zealand as co-hosts following a row over stadium advertising.

But while New Zealanders were today reeling from arguably the country's most damaging rugby "defeat", the mood in Australia was jubilant.

"I think it is great for the Australian public," said Wallabies skipper George Gregan. "It is an exciting period for Australian rugby, and this is going to raise the profile even more."

And Gregan's former Test team-mate, double World Cup winner Tim Horan, added: "Australia can definitely handle something like the Rugby World Cup. "We all remember how the Sydney Olympics were received around the globe, and the Rugby World Cup will be to that sort of standard.

"Everyone was probably treading water, waiting for yesterday's decision, but now everything will swing into action in Australia and I have no doubt that Australian people will embrace the World Cup."

The Australian Rugby Union has already announced that it intends launching the competition - complete with match schedule and venues - within a month. Twenty countries will compete in four groups of five.