Redruth will field an experienced team for their opening National League One fixture today but are ready to throw some of their youngsters into the fray.

The Reds take on Wharfedale at the Recreation Ground tomorrow (3pm) with four of their close season recruits on the bench and director of rugby Dave Penberthy is keen to expose them early on to the rigours of professional rugby.

He said: "We've had a huge crop of young players come aboard which is both exciting and challenging and all credit to them for wanting to play a higher standard of rugby. These are promising players and they will all be in contention."

The new arrivals include wingers Tom Notman from Camborne and Wadebridge's Sean Hawkey while Grant Thirlby has returned to the club from Truro.

Penryn's Jordan Rose and former Reds colts Lewis Moyle are ready to challenge for a place in the back row while Aaron Penberthy has returned from the Chiefs academy and looks likely to be first-choice fly-half this season.

The former Truro College number ten kicked six out of six shots at the posts in last week's pre-season friendly victory at Dings Crusaders and is tactically a much improved player.

Tomorrow Redruth have gone for their strongest starting XV built around a forward unit packed with power and experience. Lock Luke Collins returns from the Cornish Pirates to resume his highly successful second-row partnership with Damien Cook while the front row of Peter Joyce, Matt Gidlow and skipper Darren Jacques is as good as any in the league.

Kiwi No.8 Mark Bright leads a back row that includes Chris Fuca and Owen Hambly, who has transformed himself from hooker to a highly-effective flanker, and there is plenty of forward back-up on the bench.

Penberthy said: "There's a huge amount of experience in that pack and we want all eight to lead from the front and set a platform for the outsides."

The Reds suffered financial problems midway through the last campaign and were dealt a further blow by the retirement of head coach Nigel Hambly but Penberthy believes the club is now well placed for a competitive season after finishing 11th last season. A new coaching team of Craig Bonds, Tony Cook, Terry Prior and Bright – who has remained in England through the summer to ensure he is refreshed and fighting fit from day one – will take the club forward and Penberthy said: "We've moved on, we've had a good pre-season and the coaches have done a good job.

"On the financial side we've worked extremely hard off the field and put together a budget where we know exactly what we've got to spend on rugby. It's imperative we work within that budget.

"What happened last season is something I don't want to go through again and if we agree a contract with a player we expect that contract to be honoured."

Penberthy would dearly love to start the season with a home victory, but the Recreation Ground holds no fears for tomorrow's visitors, who won 34-13 towards the end of the last campaign.

"Wharfedale are a very good team and we've got a lot to prove to ourselves but we've got a good of players and we're looking forward to it immensely," said the Redruth chief.

Redruth (from): Kevern; Simmons, Thirlby, Kenward, Pedley, A Penberthy, Richards, Bright, Hambly, Fuca, Collins, Cook, Joyce, Gidlow, Jacques (capt). Replacements (from): Notman, G Thirlby, Duncan Morcom, Brown, Rule, Hearn, Hawkey, Bowden.