From the match programme:
"Rodney Review"
"by Willis Huntley"
"MAINTAINING ENGLISH TIES . . ."
"Today's match with Richmond heralds the beginning of a series of attractive fixtures with prominent English clubs. Gloucester will be the next team from across the Severn Bridge to visit Newport, and they will be followed by their neighbours, Bristol, who will provide the Christmas fare at Rodney Parade."
"Then, in the new year, Newport will go to Leicester, unless they are engaged in the Welsh Cup, and after that they are due to play Harlequins, Coventry and Nottingham as well as Gloucester in a return fixture."
"And from farther afield will come two Scottish clubs, the Watsonians and Glasgow High/Kelvinside, and the South African Barbarians with their squad of crack players, including a number of Springboks. Indeed, an examination of the leading Welsh clubs' fixtures for this season reveals that Newport, who have already played the Barbarians, have the most attractive programme."
"Newport's under-21 and youth teams have also been given the chance to test their ability against the up and coming players of various English clubs. Fixtures with Exeter, Coventry, Moseley, Harlequins, Gloucester and Wasps have already been arranged for the under-21 or combined United team, and Newport Youth will meet the youth teams of Bath, Wasps, Coventry and Blackheath."
"It is, of course, fitting that Newport should have so many ties with English clubs, for they are in the unique position of having a foot in both the England and Wales camps, being members of both these countries rugby union."
"Incidentally, although many English internationals have graced the Richmond scene the Surrey club also had a Welsh international in their team back in the early sixties. He was Geoffrey Windsor Lewis, a powerful centre, who played for Wales against England at Twickenham and against Scotland at Cardiff. Former Newport hooker and captain Bryn Meredith took part in both those matches and captained Wales against the Scots, who were beaten 8-0."
"Newport's meagre representation in the East Wales team who played Japan this week was offset to some extent by Roger Bidgood's selection to play for Wales B against the Japanese. He had previously been picked to play for the Barbarians against Exeter, but he was obliged to withdraw from that match. Unfortunately, fortune did not shine on him at Stradey Park, for he sustained a shoulder injury and missed Newport's game with Bridgend."
"That imp of injury is still hovering over Rodney Parade, and last weekend Matthew Robinson, Newport's promising under-21 team outside half, sustained a broken leg at Moseley and was taken to Birmingham Hospital, where doctors explained that he would be out of action for most of the season. "It was a big blow for young Matthew and the club, and we are all hoping that he will make a quick and satisfactory recovery", commented Mr. Campbell Black, Newport's secretary."
"TODAY'S VISITORS"
"WELCOME BACK, RICHMOND . . ."
"Courage League competitors Richmond, today's visitors, were due to appear at Rodney Parade last season, but that fixture had to be called off because Newport were engaged in a Welsh Cup-tie with Cardiff Harlequins on that day."
"On their previous trip to Newport in 1990-1 Richmond gave an excellent account of themselves and it was as much as Newport could do to scrape to a narrow 8-6 victory. Richmond's points came from a try by right wing Martin Radford which he converted. Newport registered two tries by Keith Plummer and Phil Booth."
"The following season Newport visited the Surrey club, and once again Richmond gave them a succession of shocks before going on to beat the black and amber team 28-24. Today they will be all out to cause Newport more trouble, for their old hands will not forget the 59-8 drubbing they received when they came to Rodney Parade in 1987!"
"Newport and Richmond are, of course, old friends. They first met in 1888 and since then they have played each other many times, though until fairly recent years there was a gap between their fixtures. Like Newport, they are a club of proud traditions, and throughout the years they have groomed many players for stardom."
"Among their distinguished internationals of yesteryear are Chris Ralston, capped 22 times by England and a British Lion, P.W. Kininmonth, another British Lion and collector of 21 Scottish caps, Tommy Bedford, who played 25 times for South Africa, as well as England internationals Nim Hall, Mickey Weston, Tony Bucknell and Tony Kemp."
"Following the reorganisation of the leagues in England, however, Richmond were unlucky to be relegated to the third division. They suffered the same fate as other illustrious clubs, such as Bedford, Blackheath, Coventry and Rosslyn Park, and naturally they are expecting strong competition as they seek to gain promotion."
"My Richmond contact informs me that their new coach, John Kingston, is encouraging a fluid style of rugby, which is a good omen for today's match for it should be an entertaining spectacle. He adds that Richmond have not been firing on all cylinders since their return from their "very happy and successful tour of South Africa, but they are hoping that today's game will enable them to recapture the form they displayed during that tour." "
"Richmond's season so far has been something of a mixed bag. They narrowly lost to a full strength London Irish team, defeated Sudbury comfortably, but then suffered two poor results against London Welsh and Wasps. Still, for today's match, Martin Livesey returns to the outside half berth, Phil Della-Savina comes back after injury, and Richard Banks continues his comeback following a very serious injury."
"WILLIS HUNTLEY"