TORFAEN TIGERS have landed something of a coup for such a small and new team by getting the services of a top coach to help them out.

Wayne Okell, who was with the New Zealand Rugby Union party at the World Sevens Series recently, has agreed to give the Gwent Rugby League outfit the once over.

Okell has worked with the Welsh Amateur RL side and he is not the only leading coach to have shown a keen interest in the 13-a-side outfit which is slowly developing in the valleys.

Newport RFC's boss Leigh Jones and former Rodney Parade and Newbridge outside-half Paul Turner, currently assistant at Zurich Premiership team Harlequins, went to watch the Tigers go through their paces in training on Wednesday.

And Turner, who is back in Gwent visiting his folks in Griffithstown, Pontypool, even wanted to get his tracksuit on at the practice session but couldn't because he was ill.

Also, Clive Griffiths, the assistant coach to the new Gwent RU province and the man who led Wales to the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals in 1999, has said he will also give the side a hand.

It is all heartening for the Tigers who travel to take on Aberavon Fighting Irish tomorrow in the Welsh Conference.

The club's coach Chris Weaver said: "My phone was red hot all day yesterday. Wayne Okell said he would come down next Wednesday and give us a hand.

"I played alongside Paul Turner at Newbridge and he was on the phone yesterday and gave me his e-mail address to keep in contact.

"We had 28 players training on Wednesday and there were 46 players on the books by last night. That's just in the five weeks since I've been there."

But Weaver is a bit cautious that the Tigers may be getting ahead of themselves, adding: "We seem to be running before we can walk but we have to just let it flow."

The Tigers will be without hooker Jason Hill for tomorrow's game and Weaver accepts that it is going to be a very tough assignment there, particularly as the Fighting Irish have some of the Aberavon Rugby Union team to call on.

Hill's place is being taken by new recruit Gareth Davies, who has just returned from duty with the Army in Iraq.

He added: "At this moment, they might be a bit stronger than Bridgend (who include ex-League internationals Allan Bateman and John Devereux in their ranks). This will be a real, defining test for us and hopefully we can come out of it successfully."

But it is not as if Torfaen don't have any good talent in their own ranks, as was proved in their 52-28 victory over Swansea Bulls last Saturday.

Weaver said: "Our skill level is good and I think we can nullify their defence through the Jenkins brothers (half-back pair Richard and Gareth) plus Adrian Fowler (centre) and Luke Bingham (full-back)."

Torfaen have been further boosted by the recruitment of Abertillery RFC number eight Lee Taylor to their pack.