On Friday evening Saturday Redruth RFC set out on the long trip to Newport (Salop) RFC a mere 570 mile round trip.
For anybody who is thinking of travelling this Newport are in the beautiful county of Shropshire, NOT South Wales. Full address is The Old Showground, Forton Road, Newport TF10 8BU. Incidentally Shropshire is my 3rd favourite county after the obvious and Cumbria.
Salop incidentally is the old name for the county of Shropshire and was actually used as its official name from 1974 to 1980.

Newport run 2 senior sides, a Vets side, a touch rugby side a full mini-junior set up plus 4 age group women's sides. They were promoted to Level 4 after winning the Midlands Premier League last season.

It would not be unfair to say that Newport have found the step up to Level 4 tough but 3 wins in the last 5 matches including one over Dings Crusaders has lifted them clear of the relegation fight. To date they are in 11th place on 40 points. Of their 21 matches Newport have lost 15 and won 6. Aside from the home win over Dings it could be said that two of their best performances have come in defeat, both at home, against top of the table Leicester Lions by 32-38 and 4th place Hinckley by 29-33. Newport's points difference is -317 almost a third of that coming at the Recreation Ground last October where they came up against a rampant Redruth side and lost by 95-7. Travelling somewhat short of their best XV nothing went right for them that day and Redruth are under no illusions that it will be very different side both mentally and in personal that take to the field on Saturday. Last Saturday Newport lost 36-12 away to Hinkley.
Top try scorers for Newport are Jacob Leonard (centre) and Daniel Brough (winger) both on 7 and top points scorer is Jacob Leonard on 97.

The Reds come into this match after a fighting performance in defeat against champions elect Leicester Lions, the score-line of 7-33 not doing justice to the effort put in by the injury ravaged Reds side on the day.
Redruth currently stand in 6th place on 67 points having won 13 of their 21 matches and have a +160 points difference.

Stats: Frazer Honey has notched up 165 points and try wise Richard Brown leads the way on 15 which makes him the equal highest try scorer in National 2 West.

Referee: TBC
Assistant Referees: TBC

If you are staying in Cornwall catch the Colts as they take on Truro Colts at home with a 2pm KO.

Look out for teams news on Friday morning and follow the match on Radio Cornwall.

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