NEWPORT have suffered a double injury blow on top of the 36-20 home defeat by Neath last night which could cost them the Welsh/Scottish League title.

Leading half backs Shane Howarth (pictured) and Ofisa Tonu'u could both be out for the rest of the season, missing the final five games.

Howarth suffered a damaged rib cartilage near the interval against Neath while Tonu'u limped through much of the game and has suspected knee ligament trouble.

Neither will play against Swansea at St Helen's on Saturday night, a game Newport cannot afford to lose if they are to retain their title hopes.

And they will also struggle to make the remaining games against Cardiff at home, Glasgow away and Pontypridd and Bridgend, both at home.

On top of that deputy scrum half Dale Burn is out for four months with a broken ankle. The half backs at Swansea are likely to be the untried pairing of Llyr Lane, back from a loan spell with Ebbw Vale, and former Vale outside half Jason Strange.

Whereas Newport were favourites for their first title success, it is now a four-way race between leaders Llanelli, Newport, Neath and Cardiff.

If Cardiff win in Edinburgh tomorrow night and then beat Newport next Friday the title will surely be theirs.

But Newport are by no means giving up, though skipper Simon Raiwalui warns: "We thought we were better than we are with all this talk of us winning the title.

"But we are a strong team and we've got character. We'll come back strong. I wouldn't swop one member of my team."

Coach Ian McIntosh is critical of all those who thought Newport had the title wrapped up already.

"All this anticipation has been worrying me for some time. We are trying to keep it low key, but the expectations of people are that we are going to walk the league," he said.

"The title race has always been wide open. All this talk about us winning the title has its effect, anything can happen yet."