NEWPORT will attempt to end a run of eight straight Principality Premiership defeats when they travel to Llanelli on Sunday.

The Black and Ambers endured a sticky end to an encouraging 2015/16 and have suffered defeats to Cardiff, Bedwas and Ebbw Vale at the start of the current campaign.

With the league splitting into two divisions after 15 fixtures in January, Newport need to return to winning ways fast but forwards coach Ty Morris insists there is no need to panic.

"We've had three difficult games," he said. "We were a bit unlucky at Cardiff, didn't turn up in a poor game against Bedwas then versus Ebbw Vale were undone by our own mistakes.

"We dealt with Ebbw's scrum and driving maul but just weren't accurate enough, which is frustrating because that's an area where we were so good for most of last year.

"But there's no panic and we believe in ourselves to get things right. The boys are working hard and will get through this."

Last season the Black and Ambers went to the top of the table when they won 30-24 in Llanelli thanks to tries by wings Elliot Frewen and Wes Cunliffe, full-back Llywarch Ap Myrddin and centre Haydn Palmer.

The west Walians turned the tables on the final day of the season when winning 48-20 and have already turned over Ebbw Vale at Parc y Scarlets and pushed Pontypridd hard when beaten 41-29 last weekend, forcing their visitors to dig deep late on.

"Llanelli are always a tough side on their own patch and like to play attacking rugby, much like us," said Morris.

"Looking at their games this season it's clear that they have strengthened their scrum so we look forward to taking them on there.

"But to be honest we are not overly concerned with what Llanelli do because we have lost three game this season because of our own mistakes and need to worry about ourselves."

Hooker Evans Whitson is back from injury to battle with Henry Palmer for the number 2 jersey while a new man will come in on the right wing after Ashton Hewitt, who scored at Eugene Cross Park, earned a Dragons recall.