Wasps get set for a battle royal (From South Wales Argus)

Wasps get set for a battle royal

6:40am Friday 10th July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

REIGNING Premier League Champions the Edinburgh Monarchs bring their formidable septet to Queensway Meadows to race the revamped Newport Wasps this Sunday, with tapes up at the new time of 5pm.

Their number one Ryan Fisher returned a five ride, five win 15 point maximum in the Welsh Open Championship a fortnight ago before being pipped for the title by Kevin Doolan in the Grand Final. The American will be confident of his ability around Newport’s 285 metre shale oval as will former Newport Wasp Michal Rajkowski. He joined the club in 2006 and was an instant success. His consistent scores earned the Pole an eventual transfer to Belle Vue, Manchester, in the Elite League.

His capture by the Scottish promotion during the close season was a sure sign that the Monarchs were not going to give up their hard earned league title lightly.

Also in the top five are three other riders with an average of more than seven points.

Australian skipper Matthew Wethers is in his seventh consecutive season with the capital city side and has improved season upon season.

Young Swede Thomas H Jonasson has taken a recent break from racing in British Speedway and Newport fans will hope that he is rusty rather than refreshed, while Scot Andrew Tully has come through the ranks at his local club. In reserve are Australian Aaron Summers and South African Byron Bekker who have shown a liking for the Newport track in the past. Newport come into what will obviously be a tough match with a further reinforcement in the shape of Marek Mroz who is guaranteed to give 100% from the reserve berth and forms a robust partnership with Newport’s young Aussie James Holder at numbers six and seven in the line-up respectively.

The squad ran Edinburgh close on their home circuit last weekend before securing a draw at Berwick and dashing back to south Wales for a home victory over a powerful Rye House Rockets side.

Leigh Lanham was in double figures throughout while Jonas Andersson had a whirlwind week having to drive back to Sweden after the Welsh Open Championship then take a flight to Scotland to be introduced to new machinery that he had to adjust to. He did well under the circumstances and will have had more time to prepare for his Wasps duties this weekend.

WASPS: 1. Leigh Lanham; 2. Chris Kerr; 3. Jonas Andersson; 4. Jordan Frampton; 5. Paul Fry (C); 6. Marek Mroz; 7. James Holder MONARCHS: 1. Ryan Fisher; 2. Michal Rajkowski; 3. Thomas H Jonasson; 4. Matthew Wethers (C); 5. Andrew Tully; 6. Aaron Summers; 7. Byron Bekker l Newport Wasps joint team manager Laurence Rogers has been put in charge of the Australasia squad to race Great Britain in a test series at National League level. He has called up several Newport Hornets throughout the five match series which starts at Weymouth tonight.

Kiwi Grant Tregoning and Aussies Shelby Rutherford and Ryan Sedgmen will appear at the Wessex Stadium and also at the Kings Lynn circuit for the second test tomorrow.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)