Image Copyright: Mike Dams

Chris Kirwan, SWA writes :

NEWPORT will once again be out to stun Leinster when they open up their British and Irish campaign against the Irish giants.

The Black and Ambers produced one of the shocks of last season’s tournament when they won 10-6 at Donnybrook against a side featuring full internationals, Ireland A stars and Magners League regulars.

They will have the chance or repeating the feat at Rodney Parade on the weekend of October 16.

Newport have also been handed a mouth-watering trip to English championship big guns Worcester, who are hot favourites to bounce back to the Guinness Premiership at the first time of asking.

The Warriors are also pencilled in to take on the Black and Ambers in a pre-season friendly.

Revenge will be on the agenda when holders Cornish Pirates, who beat Newport in a winner-takes-all group clash last season, head to the Parade.

Trips to Plymouth and Scottish national champions Currie are also in the Newport diary but it is the opener that whets the appetite.

"Leinster will want to put things right because they didn’t expect to lose to us," said head coach Sven Cronk.

"It is good to get a rematch and we know that we have got to get a win if we want to do well in the tournament.

"We have got three away games so need to beat Leinster and the Pirates at the Parade."

Quarter-finals have been added to this season’s competition with the top two from each of the four pools qualifying.

The clash with Leinster has been moved from the end of February to early in the campaign to avoid a clash with Wales’ Six Nations game in Italy.

That means the Newport will have to hit their straps early in the Premiership so that they are ready for the Irish province.

"The tournament was a step up from the Premiership last season and everybody, players and staff, had to pick up their game," said Cronk.

"It will be a stern test but we embraced this tournament last year and will do the same again."

Newport fixtures (weekend of): October 16 – Leinster (h), December 11 – Worcester (a), December 18 – Plymouth (a), January 15 – Currie (a), January 22 – Cornish Pirates (h)

Pool A: Cornish Pirates, Currie, Leinster, Newport, Plymouth Albion, Worcester

Pool B: Bristol, Esher, Llanelli, Melrose, Munster, Nottingham

Pool C: Bedford Blues, London Welsh, Moseley, Neath, Swansea, Ulster

Pool D: Ayr, Birmingham & Solihull, Doncaster, Llandovery, Pontypridd, Rotherham