NEWPORT'S Glenn Cunningham prepares to take on Glasgow Tigers tonight (7.15pm) and said a decent Scottish tour could help kick start Wasps' season.

With three matches in three days, Cunningham believes that if Newport can grab a win at either Glasgow, Edinburgh or Berwick and win most of their home matches, a place in the top eight would not be unrealistic.

That would qualify Wasps' for a Premier League play-off place for the Jack Young shield and while it might sound extremely optimistic, Cunningham thinks it is not beyond Wasps. While Tigers are undergoing talks to try and sign Dane Henning Bager for the rest of the season, Wasps are catching Tigers at the right time.

Having beaten Tigers in 1999 and 2000, Wasps are chasing a hat-trick of wins in Scotland and with Glasgow captain Les Collins aggravating a back injury against Newcastle last Sunday, Newport's luck could be in.

"If we can try and pick-off at least one of the Scottish teams and win most of our matches back home, then there is a chance we can make the play-offs," he said.

"The longer we can make the season last, the better and it would be great to make the play-offs. As a rider, the last thing you want to do is finish the season and not be competing for honours."

As for Glasgow's Ashfield track which Tigers switched to in 1999, Cunningham said he has had reports back and expects good things.

"I've only been to Glasgow's track once, when they re-opened after moving from Shawfield," said the Wasps rider.

"The track dug up a bit, but I have heard good things about it from other riders."

With four races in four days, Cunningham believes problems are more likely to mount up than during a normal week of race meetings and highlighted some of the problems involved.

"You just don't get the time to work on your bikes and it is virtually impossible to clean them down," he said.

"The tour is pretty tiring, especially coming back to Newport for Sunday's race, but the main concern is the machinery, if the bikes break down, you just don't get a chance to sort it out."

Newport have been given a suprise call-up to the Premier League 4's tournament final at Peterborough after Swindon Robins were forced to pull out.

The event will be screened live on Sunday August 5 on Sky Sports from Peterborough's East of England Showground and Wasps have been asked to step in with Swindon suffering from injuries to Oliver Allen and Paul Fry.

The meet will see eight teams of four riders competing in two pools with a play-off for the group leaders.