NEWPORT hope rustiness will not derail their double bid for silverware when they welcome Carmarthen Quins to Rodney Parade in the Swalec Cup.

The Black and Ambers have their fingers crossed that they will finally take to the field for the first time since December 5 when they host the West Walians in round one.

The tie was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch last Sunday, making it four games on the spin to fall victim to the weather since their Principality Premiership victory against Neath.

Forwards coach Ty Morris said: "I can't do with any more Saturdays at home!

"It is a bit of a worry that we will be a bit rusty but hopefully the work that we have been doing off the field will pay off, although we won't be game sharp.

"The plan had been to ramp up a bit of gym work over this period but instead we have been up at Llanwern High School and have been doing plenty of analysis and working on our shapes.

"We've been doing a lot of detail and are happy with how things have gone, so I hope we can pick up where we left off in the league."

Newport will be without captain Adam Brown as the lock is with the Dragons Premiership Select XV for their British and Irish Cup fixture in Jersey .

Morris said: "It would have been unfair to take him out of that environment after he had been involved in the earlier games."

However, that could present a chance for promising forward Bryce Morgan to feature alongside Dan Partridge.

The reward for the winners is a home tie with either Pontypool or Bedwas and Morris expects a stern test, despite the Quins sitting eighth in the Premiership while the Black and Ambers are in the mix for the title.

"They are not having their most successful season but that means the cup will be important for them," he said.

"We know that they are a strong side up front and have a back three who can score from anywhere.

"But it genuinely is more about us and we want to continue our form from the Premiership – we won't change the way that we have been playing."

Dragons academy fly-half Arwel Robson is currently sidelined with a hip injury so Julian Mogg is likely to pull the strings.

This weekend's game has come too soon for the return from injury of flanker Craig Attwell, front row forward Matt Prosser and hooker Will Evans but they should make their comebacks soon while utility back Geraint O'Driscoll and fly-half Matt O'Brien shouldn't be too far behind.

"We might have a bit of a fixture backlog at the end of the season but the positive thing is that the players who should be back soon will boost our squad depth," said Morris.

The all-Premiership game will be playing with the traditional points system of five for a try, two for conversions, and three for penalties and drop goals – rather than the experimental one being used in the league.

Newport were beaten by the Quins in the quarter-finals last season but triumphed 30-22 when the sides met in the league out west in October.