IVYBRIDGE face a bit of a must-win game on Saturday when they host bottom side Weston-super-Mare at Cross-in-Hand in Regional One South West.
If the Bridgers lose then they could drop to the foot of the table, but a win could move them out of the bottom three.
The South Hams club do have a big few weeks coming up as after this weekend they host Lydney at home before travelling to fellow strugglers Matson in the final match before Christmas.
“I have set the lads a bit of a task over the next three games in terms of points that we need to be taking away,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
“As a group they have come up with 10 points from the three games, but I think, to be honest, 15 is achievable as we are at home for two weeks and then have Matson.
“But beggars can’t be choosers; we’ll take what we get, although we can’t really be leaving Saturday without anything.”
McGregor knows his team are under pressure after winning just one of their opening 10 games this season, but he feels they need to embrace that.
“I have kept that pressure on them as it is pressure and it is serious,” he said. “I don’t know if all the lads respect that if the club actually went down just how detrimental that would be. It’s never good if you go down.
“Our twos also need to stay up as if they go down then were competing with other clubs that players might be coming from.”
Ivybridge do have locks Seb Musgrave, Jack Skinner and Will Peakman available again, while Ben Watts is set to return at scrum-half and Dylan Armstrong is in line for a start on the wing.
At the other end of the Regional One South West table, Devonport Services will be looking to keep up the pressure on Chew Valley and Barnstaple when they make the long trip to mid-table Lydney.
Just two points separate the top three, with Chew on 42 points and Barnstaple and Service on 40.
“We can’t have a lapse as otherwise Chew and Barnstaple will pull away as I don’t see those losing many times this season,” said Services head coach Ben Russell ahead of his team’s trip to Regentsholme.
“We have Lydney away this week, which is a tough place to go and win, we then have Okehampton at home and they beat us there last year and then St Austell away and they will remind themselves of what happened 18 months ago. That’s three pretty tough fixtures anyway but we can’t slip as after Christmas we then have Barnstaple, Brixham and Chew and they are the ones that will decide where we finish.”
Services are just hoping Lydney’s pitch survives the freezing weather. The kick-off is at 3pm so the pitch will have a bit longer to defrost.
It will be Services first game outside Devon since October 14 and the last time they will leave Devon or Cornwall until February.
“It’s our last really long one until the final day when we got to Matson,” said Russell.
“But it is a tough place to go and they are a club that want to win at all costs.”
Services are missing half-backs Dan Goldstone, Kieran Down and Dylan Daley and back-row forward Mark Friend.
It means young scrum-half Billy Sutton could get another chance in the first team, while fly-half Richard West could be back in contention and back-rower James Hocking is expected to be back after injury.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
THERE’S a big top-of-the-table clash in Western West where leaders Plymstock Albion Oaks host second-placed Kingsbridge at Horsham Fields.
Just one point separates the two title-chasing sides as they head into the halfway mark of the season.
Oaks were unbeaten at home until last weekend when they were beaten 45-34 by Tiverton.
“I think we are pretty eager to get back out there really and stick in a performance,” said Oaks head coach Lewis Paterson.
“It was a bit frustrating last week, knowing how much we squandered with interceptions and knock-ons, but we have put that to bed and just trying to focus on Kingsbridge.
“We don’t really want to change too much.”
He added: “Kingsbridge are up at the top for a reason so they are going to be a good side, but we have shown we are dangerous and we are the team to beat and people are looking to put a marker on us and that’s quite a good place to be.”
Oaks will be missing Pete Keanie after he was sent off last week, but they should have fellow back-rower Alex Broughton back after missing a couple of weeks.
Tavistock are also at home in Western West when they host travel sick Penryn at Sandy Park.
Tavistock might sit in fifth place but eighth-placed Penryn are just five points behind them and have more wins to their name.
Tavistock are just hoping that away win will not come against them on Saturday.
“They (Penryn) have not gone that well away from home but that does not mean anything,” said Tavistock head coach Joel Caddy.
“We ourselves have been at both ends of the spectrum. We have beaten sides who on paper people might argue we should not have beaten, whereas we have lost to sides that on paper people would have said we should have beaten.
“You can’t base anything on paper, but, hopefully, we can get the win ahead of two big games against Paignton and Kingsbridge.
“We are in a decent spot and we are there without, apart from possibly the Kingsbridge game, really playing to our full potential for 80 minutes. In theory we could be in a better place.
“We just have not quite clicked yet and hit that purple patch.”
Tavistock have had to deal with a lot of team changes this season and this weekend is no different.
“We have got quite a lot of changes,” admitted Caddy. “We do have a lot missing this week and that does have a knock-on effect on the Moorlanders (Tavistock’s second team).”
Tavistock are able to welcome back Charles Bowden, who will start at fly-half, with Andy Yates lining up at centre alongside Jack Easton, with Sean Donnolly keeping his place on the wing.
COUNTIES TWO
THERE is a massive top-of-the-table clash in Counties Two Cornwall where leaders Saltash head to fellow unbeaten side Redruth II on Saturday.
Both teams have 100 per cent records after 10 games – with Saltash just narrowly ahead of points difference.
The Ashes will have a bit of a point to prove after drawing 23-23 with Redruth II at the Recreation Ground last season when the Reds fielded a stronger than usual side after their first team game was postponed.
That controversial draw did prove costly for Saltash, who narrowly missed out on promotion to St Ives despite only losing one game last term.
This season, Redruth II’s side has been consistently much stronger and in their last match they put 100 points on Bodmin.
Saltash will be expecting them to be as strong as the side they face in Cornwall in January.
The Ashes are able to welcome back forward Devon Bennett-Murray, who will start in the second-row, with Ryan Rayner staying at number eight.
In the backs, Jason Carroll returns at centre, with Billy Dover returning to fly-half.
In Counties Two Devon, there’s a vital clash at Bickleigh Down where Plymouth Argaum host fellow strugglers Ivybridge II.
Ivybridge II are bottom of the table, with Argaum two places above.
Both clubs have only got two wins to their name this term, but Argaum sit nine points ahead courtesy of Ivybridge losing five for failing to fulfil a fixture and Argaum having scored four tries or more in four of their 10 games.
“It is a massive game for us on Saturday,” admitted Argaum head coach Dean Avery.
Argaum are set to be missing goalkicker Jake Turfrey, but should welcome back Will Lloy, Luc Phillips, Tom Shepherd, Chris Perkins, Jack Skjolde and new signing Joshua Townsend.
Ivybridge II hope to have a strong side out as they also target a vital victory.
“Our seconds are looking very strong this week as we have a few players back and I’m happy with that as if you have a strong second team it powers up the firsts,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
Second-placed Devonport Services II will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to Torquay Athletic in the top-of-the-table clash two weeks when they host fifth-placed Exeter Saracens at the Rectory.
Exeter Saracens did do the double over Services II last season and so it will be a chance to see how for the Devonport side have come.
Services II are not likely to be as strong as some games this season with a couple of players likely to be promoted to the first team to cover for unavailabilities.
OPMs have a tough and long trip to Barnstaple II on Saturday in the same division.
The Old Boys were boosted by narrowly edging out Argaum 22-20 in their last fixture, which moved them up to eighth and has given them a bit of breathing space.
Barnstaple II have been a bit inconsistent. They have beaten all the top sides but their three defeats this term have come against the bottom three sides – Ivybridge II, North Tawton and Argaum.
The north Devon club did beat Exeter Saracens 43-7 away last weekend so OPMs will be expecting a tough afternoon.
COUNTIES THREE
THERE’S a big Plymouth derby under the Brickfields floodlights tonight when Tamar Saracens and Old Techs clash in Devon South & West.
After successfully playing Techs at Brickfields last season in front of nearly 500 people, Sarries, thanks to their sponsors, decided to repeat the event with their home game against their nearest rivals.
The clubs are hoping there will be another good crowd to watch them go head-to-head.
“We are quite excited about it to be fair,” said Tamar Saracens head coach Mike Lewis.
“Last year I think there were 480 people there and it’s something we need to take advantage of and make it memorable for the right reasons.
“Hopefully, we will come to the party and try and run them around a bit.
“We know what sort of style they play – we know they are quite forward-orientated and will try and disrupt the ruck area. We just have to try to make sure we don’t let them and play our own game.
“When we played Dartmouth the other week they really disrupted our game, which held us back a little bit. So we just have to make sure we get on top of that and play our own game plan.”
Lewis added: “Not only is it at Albion big it is also a big local derby and, as I have said it many times before, they are a leveller – it’s doesn’t matter if one teams is top of the table and the other at the bottom.
“We just have to make sure we are on top of our game to win.
“It was nice to win there (at Brickfields) last season. It was the highlight of the season for everyone.
“It should be a dry track, although it will be a bit chilly, but it should be ideal for us to play a bit of running rugby.”
Lewis said everyone has been keen to make themselves available for this game and they are boosted by having the likes of Tom Hicklin, Chad Smith, Joey Pook, Lew Harris, Joe McKinley and Josh Perkin back after missing last week’s frustrating defeat at Paignton II.
Old Techs are also looking forward to the game.
“It’s something a bit different,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.
“I think all the lads are looking forward to it.
“In the game last season we defended for long periods – and we did defend really well and kept them out – but we didn’t really feel we did ourselves justice and we’d like to put in a better performance.
“It should be a good night and hopefully we turn up.
“We ran Brixham II really close in our last game and I think we should have won that match. Our first half performance was really good – probably the best for a couple of seasons – and I think we are slowly getting there.
“We are getting really good numbers at training and we are pretty happy with where we are.
“We know we are not world beaters or anything but I think we are improving and things are looking better than last season, certainly player and commitment wise. We also have a bit more strength in depth this season.”
Techs are set to welcome back Will Booth after a long-standing hamstring injury, while Dan Pullen is back as is Malvin Dononoe and Benny Mbanjwa, but they are missing Jenson Baker, Ben Wheatley, Steve Wilkinson and Sam Blythe.
“It is going to be a tough game,” admitted Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt. “But we are improving step-by-step and we just have to try and rise to the challenge.
“Last time we played Torquay’s seconds in the last game of last season it went right down the wire.
“But we’ll just have to see how we go.”
Tavistock II and Plymstock Albion Oaks II are also on the road to south Devon.
Tavistock II face a difficult trip to third-placed Brixham II, while Oaks II visit struggling Kingsbridge II.
Oaks have really strengthened their second team this season after struggling last year.
“It is important for us to field two strong sides,” said Oaks head coach Lewis Paterson. “We have got some players who have been playing really well in the seconds.
“And there’s opportunity for some of these lads to come back into the first team and we have wanted to create a club with depth. It’s a good headache. Obviously there are going to be people disappointed but when you have two good squads that you can field, that’s a positive.”
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II host Lankelly-Fowey at Moorlands Lane.