NEW champions Wiveliscombe rounded off their rugby season with their longest trip of the winter - to Redruth where they lost 37-31 to the Cornish club’s 2nd XV in Counties One Western West, writes Roger Bellamy.

Wiveliscombe, already promoted to the Regional 2 South West next season, were expecting a tough game against a team which lost by just four points when they played at Wiveliscombe in the very first game of the season. It was only Wiveliscombe’s fourth defeat of the season.

Wiveliscombe travelled with the same squad of eighteen players they fielded the previous weekend against Barnstaple Seconds and the game turned out to be a well contested eighty minutes which could of gone either way with both teams scoring five tries with three conversions, while Redruth added two penalties which was the difference enabling the home side to win.

Tries for the home team came from Luca Brano, Oliver Wells, Luke Young, Rhys Bowery and Kaiden Carne, while Marley Johns added three conversions and two penalties. Wiveliscombe’s tries came from captain Will Ellis, who snapped up two, Dan Rottenbury, Will Ruell and Richard Baker with Dan Quick adding three conversions.

Meanwhile Wiveliscombe 2nd XV made their shortest trip of the season for their final league match against Wyvern in Taunton where they lost 49-30 in Counties Three Somerset South.

The home team, who will finish fifth in the table, were too strong for Wiveliscombe in the scrums but the visitors looked dangerous throughout the game when they ran the ball. Wivey crossed for four tries through Elliott Chub, who scored twice, Matthew Canfield and Lewis May. Cameron Palk added three conversions and one penalty.

The Wiveliscombe club’s annual Dinner Dance and Awards Night takes place at the Club on Friday, 1st May, and there will be plenty to celebrate following the 1st XV’s promotion.