NEWPORT'S push for more trophies and glory began yesterday when director of rugby Allan Lewis (pictured) welcomed back his squad for training at Rodney Parade.

The Principality Cup winners have a free Saturday off when the season kicks-off on August 18, but Lewis knows it is going to be a long, hard campaign.

"Our first three matches are all Celtic and Welsh/Scottish League double headers and then we have to travel to Munster," said Lewis.

"We couldn't have asked for a harder start, with home matches with Caerphilly and Edinburgh sandwiching a trip to Cardiff - all in seven days.

"It means we will have to hit the ground running and that is why we have been putting so much effort into our planning for the pre-season build up and the early part of the league campaign.

"I spent a week in Durban with our new coach, Ian McIntosh, and he is full of enthusiasm for his new challenge. We have set new targets for the players and I also came back with a few new training ideas.."

Lewis had a cast of around 24 players back on parade this week, but those players who toured Japan with Wales in the summer have been given an extra week to rest. The same goes for new club captain Simon Raiwalui and prop Rod Snow, both of whom are playing in the Pacific Rim tournament at present. Meanwhile, Newport are well on the way to smashing last year's record season ticket sales. The signing of South African scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen is proving a major factor in the demand and just a week after the first season ticket of the 2001/2002 season was sold, sales have reached the 1500 mark. The ticket office is open from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday.

lThe Irish government say the new foot-and-mouth outbreak in Brecon does not pose an immediate threat to the start of the new Celtic League.

Supporters travelling to Ireland for fixtures may have to take precautions such as walking through disinfectant at ports and airports, but no government ban on matches, similar to the international ban earlier this year, is likely.