Former Wasps Chris Neath and Jordan Frampton lead the Rye House Rockets against the Newport Wasps in the Premier Trophy at Queensway Meadows on Sunday afternoon.

Neath looked sharp when riding for the 1999 Legends in the Wasps opening fixture on March 21, while Frampton was an effective rider for Newport during the 2009 season.

The Rockets have a very solid top five with veteran Swede Stefan Ekberg returning after a season out with injury.

His young compatriot Linus Sundstrom has started this new season in top form, as a 15-point maximum in the Rockets’ first fixture will confirm, and Luke Bowen, a young and exciting British rider, completes the quintet.

The reserve battles on both sides should be interesting as Rye House have a raw new Aussie recruit and a young Brit stepping up from the National League.

Newport, in the absence of the injured Alex Davies, can match that situation on this occasion.

Kurt Shields and Kyle Hughes do the honours for the Hertfordshire club while Todd Kurtz and Tim Webster are the mirror image for the Wasps.

Newport have started the season well and visit Rye House tomorrow evening prior to Sunday’s return knowing that they have the potential to keep matters going in the right direction.

Wasps team manager Kevin Brown said: “There is no doubt that pairing Leigh Lanham and Craig Watson has worked well and that our two young Swedes Kim Nilsson and Anders Mellgren are displaying the potential to meet their assessed averages.

“Everybody else is picking up points so it is encouraging.”

NEWPORT ‘DARLOWS’ WASPS: 1. Leigh Lanham (C), 2. Craig Watson, 3. Anders Mellgren, 4. Kyle Legault, 5. Kim Nilsson, 6. Tim Webster, 7. Todd Kurtz RYE HOUSE ROCKETS: 1. Chris Neath (C), 2. Stefan Ekberg, 3. Jordan Frampton, 4. Luke Bowen, 5. Linus Sundstrom, 6. Kurt Shields, 7. Kyle Hughes Sunday marks the 46th anniversary of the first occasion that a Newport Wasps team appeared on a speedway track – at Cradley Heath Speedway way back in 1964.

The Wasps lost 42-36 but Peter Vandenberg scored a 12-point maximum.

The Wasps’ home debut at Somerton Park was the following Friday – April 17, 1964.

Further details will be contained in this week’s matchday programme.

For full club details visit www.newportwasps.com