Currie relish British test against Newport

WITH the challenge of facing English pro outfit Worcester put on the back-burner by the winter weather, Currie host their first British and Irish Cup match at Malleny Park tonight against the more evenly-matched Newport side.

In an appetising cross-border match that pitches semi-professional sides against each other, the status of the visiting team from Wales is underlined by the fact that they will be missing their captain Alex Jones, whose job as a teacher makes it impossible for him to travel up to Scotland this morning.

Andrew Coombs may replace him as captain after he was cleared by the Welsh Rugby Union of any wrong-doing following his red card against Worcester in the last round.

However, the "Black and Ambers", who have lost to Leinster and Worcester but come into this game on the back of league wins over Glamorgan Wanderers and Bedwas, were waiting to see if the Dragons would release Nathan Brew, Gethin Robinson, Robin Sowden-Taylor or Hugo Ellis from their Heineken Cup match in Toulouse.

Currie are without the injured duo Dougie Fife and Andy MacMahon, but officials yesterday cleared the last remnants of ice from Malleny Park, and the team trained on it last night. With a recent investment in floodlights, excitement is building for a long-awaited and bright return to action from the winter shadows.

Currie: T Brown; A Dunbar, J Johnston, H Abercrombie, A Turnbull; M Scott, R Snedden; J Cox, S Simonsen, A Hamilton, R Wilson, A Adam, M Cairns (c), M Entwhistle, R Weston. Subs: F Gillies, R Merrilees, S Turnbull, G Temple, A Binikos, J Smith, A Whittingham