NEWPORT rugby fans are complaining about the quality of tickets on offer in the Millennium Stadium for the Principality Cup final against Neath on May 13.

They allege they are having to put up with seats near the back of the stadium and not in the middle tier near halfway.

"A gang of us together picked up tickets in a very good position in the middle tier for the semi-final, and we hoped for the same sort of seats for the final," said lifelong supporter Howard Hoare.

"But they all seem to have gone to corporate hospitality. They don't seem to be coming to ordinary club members. We need oxygen masks because we are right at the top of the stadium.

"The support for Newport has been fantastic right through, but this could do damage to the final and they could finish up with a poor crowd.

"In the semi-final the support was there with one big voice, now we are all over the place. For a game like a cup final you want to be in a more central position and closer to the game.

"The club gets all that support, but we're not allowed to get close to the boys and cheer them on. That's a pity because it's that kind of club, it engenders warmth and support."

Newport Rugby Club admit they have received complaints from fans about the position of their seats, though more for the semi-final than the final.

"We've got our allocation of 8,000 for the final, 400 of which are in the middle tier," said Newport acting chief executive Keith Grainger.

"Clearly because of our contractual obligations to sponsors some will go to corporate partners who obviously support the club through the season in the form of financial partnerships.

"But we do not sell tickets to anyone who offers more than face value. The club would ideally like to sell tickets on the halfway line, but we've only been given one block in the middle tier and we've given season ticket holders priority.

"They are the best tickets, and the general public can't get any until next Monday. Clearly the Millennium Stadium has to have corporate partnership deals, so they're not in a position to allow us all the best seats in the stadium because they've already got contractual obligations."