NEWPORT Rugby Club are hoping to sign dual international Junior Tonu'u (pictured) as a replacement for Joost van der Westhuizen.

Tonu'u has won five caps for New Zealand and two for Samoa, and has been in dispute with London Irish, his club for the past two years.

That dispute could even end up in court as London Irish cancelled his contract, claiming a lack of fitness on the part of the player.

He is now threatening court action, though the club say they will defend such action vigorously.

Tonu'u trained with Newport yesterday and looked in good shape.

Newport need to complete the necessary paperwork if Tonu'u is to make the move to Wales.

They have to obtain a work permit and he has to be cleared by London Irish, though that appears a formality.

If Newport are able to complete the deal quickly he will play some role in tomorrow night's Celtic League clash against Connacht at Rodney Parade.

Newport needed to move fast after the collapse of the Joost van der Westhuizen transfer because it left them short of scrum halves with the Heineken Cup deadline at the end of this week.

Newport chief executive Keith Grainger met Tonu'u, who played twice for the All Blacks against England in 1998, at Heathrow on the way to Ireland on Friday, and again on the way back.

Tonu'u has played with Newport trio Shane Howarth, Andy Marinos and Adrian Garvey in the Southern Hemisphere.

But he will still have to perform well to knock Dale Burn out of the first choice team, Burn's only blip being the game at Cardiff.

Newport are unable to name a team to face Connacht, who have beaten Cardiff and Neath in the Celtic League, until later today.

But Australian-born Wales threequarter Jason Jones-Hughes could well make his first appearance of the season after recovering from a knee injury.

He suffered the injury against Swansea last April and missed the cup final, but is now set to return.

Newport face tough away games against Neath, Bridgend and Newcastle after the Connacht game and must balance their squad.

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