SKIPPER Alex Jones says Newport will be buoyed by last season’s encounter with Cornish Pirates when they take on the unbeaten group leaders at Rodney Parade this evening.

Newport will need to be at their best against a side that has one foot in the last eight of the British and Irish Cup.

The Pirates top the group in their defence of the title and they are looking to make sure that they earn a home quarter-final at the Mennaye Field.

Mathematically the Black and Ambers can still qualify, realistically they can’t.

But they will be looking to put on a show for the Parade faithful in a tournament that they relish playing in.

"They are the champions but we can take heart from the performance in Cornwall last year," said Jones.

"We pushed them hard and could even have sneaked the win if there had been another ten minutes (they lost 26-20).

"But they showed that they are a quality side and they are one of the English Championship sides that takes this tournament very seriously. They have a very physical pack and are also sharp behind the scrum.

"The biggest difference between the British and Irish Cup and Welsh Premiership is the juggernaut English packs.

"It’s not necessarily the scrums and lineouts, it’s the contact area and the breakdown where they show their power.

"That’s where the boys need to match them and I expect that the Pirates know that it will be a real battle after we beat Exeter at Rodney Parade last year.

"Both sides know that it will be a physical battle but it’s just down to who wins it."

Work commitments mean that Jones doesn’t feature in the matchday 22 again but at least he will be able to watch on from the sidelines.

His job as a schoolteacher meant that he was unable to travel up to Currie for last Friday’s tense win. Instead of contending with a boggy pitch and howling Scottish wind the 25-year-old was sat at home in front of his computer.

"I was on the Newport supporters forum hitting refresh every few minutes," said Jones, who hasn’t been able to take a full part in training this week because of a hectic schedule at St John Baptist School in Aberdare.

"It was tense and I would much rather have been playing! I’ve watched the DVD and it was a great win against a pretty good side in tough conditions, so the boys will look to take that form into tonight’s game."

- NEWPORT Gwent Dragons full-back Matt Evans has been given the nod for tonight’s clash with Cornish Pirates.

The Canadian international impressed in his first display in the regions’ colours in a pre-season friendly at the Mennaye Field against tonight’s opponents.

Alan Awcock slots in on the wing to accomodate Evans while the only other change in the backs sees Jon Evans start at scrum-half with USA international Mike Petri dropping down to the bench.

Sam Waldron plays in the unfamiliar role of openside flanker in the absence of injured flankers Craig Hill and Rhys Jenkins while Andrew Brown and Andrew Coombs return at hooker and blindside flanker respectively.

Dragons fly-half Matthew Jones could make his Black and Ambers debut off the bench.

Newport: M Evans, A Awcock, M Watkins, S Williams, M Pewtner, G Bowen, J Evans, D Pattison, Andrew Brown, D Way, Adam Brown, A Frampton, A Coombs, S Waldron, H Ellis. Replacements: I Evans, A Ellis, Adam Jones, D Rosser, M Petri, M Jones, O Broad.

Cornish Pirates: R Cook, W Davies, D Locke, T Luke, R McAtee, J Bentley, J Doherty, L McGlone, T Holmes, C. Morgan, B Gulliver (captain), I Nimmo, J Currie, D Ward, P Andrew. Replacements: R Storer, T Cowan-Dickie, R Brits, M Myerscough, K Marriott, S Winn, G Pointer.