REGIONAL One South West leaders Devonport Services could not have asked for a bigger game to start 2024 with.
Services will host second-placed Barnstaple at the Rectory in a mouth-watering clash.
Both teams go into the game sitting on 50 points with 10 wins, but Services, who are unbeaten at home this term, do have a game in hand on their north Devon rivals, who were National Two last season.
“We knew this game was coming,” said Services head coach Ben Russell. “And it is a really big January for us.
“Barnstaple will know with us having a game in hand on them that they need to try and get a result.
“It is pretty much a shoot-out now until the end of the year. If you make a mistake and lose a game, then you could probably be out of the mix.”
Russell admits it is great to be just in the position of starting the new year top of the table and to be even in the mix for promotion to the National League.
“When you look at last year and where we are this year then we have improved massively and we are in the fight,” he said. “It is all experience and we just have to see if we can keep going.
“People were talking about Chew and Barnstaple and not really talking about us, but now we have a marker on our back and people will be gunning to beat us.”
He added: “I think we have the toughest run, but we’ve just got to see what happens.”
Services finished 2023 in stunning fashion with six wins in a row, including a 60-5 away victory at St Austell and a 48-7 home success over Okehampton in their final two fixtures before the break.
“It is just about trying to continue that form,” said Russell, who is hoping the club can avoid their traditional post-Christmas drop in form.
“Last year we maybe slumped a little bit as we had injuries and the squad was not as strong as it is this year.”
Services, who were well beaten by Barnstaple away earlier in the season, will be without centre and vice-captain Shaun Crawford this weekend but, apart from that, should have virtually a full squad to pick from.
Devonport are expected a big crowd for the match and do not expect any problems with their pitch.
“Our pitch should be fine,” said Russell. “Out of all the pitches in the league ours is one of the best as it doesn’t get battered.
“I think they will bring quite a few people down so there should be a decent crowd.”
Ivybridge also have a big home game as they host relegation rivals Okehampton at Cross-in-Hand.
The Bridgers sit in 10th spot, which is just one place and two points behind Saturday’s opponents.
Ivybridge have won their last two homes games, but their hopes of pulling clear of the bottom two were hit by losing to fellow strugglers Matson 17-14 away just before Christmas.
“It is another home game for us and another opportunity,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
“We have had two good wins at home, even though they were tight, so there is a little bit of home form and a bit of a run to hold on to.”
He added: “We had a fantastic session back on Wednesday with massive numbers – a lot of young lads coming up through and a couple of colts which is positive.
“A lot of our injuries are back as well, which is good. It causes a few headaches in selection which is also really positive.
“For us it is essentially a new season now.
“Momentum is everything and we just have to try and get another win.
“As I’ve said to the lads, we don’t want to be targeting chasing anyone. We just have to take each game as it comes and whatever happens, happens. If you start chasing somebody and you don’t ever catch them then it almost creates negativity.
“From our perspective it is just making sure we are up to scratch ourselves.”
Ivybridge were frustrated when they played Okehampton away in September, narrowly losing 34-30.
“That was really frustrating as we massively out-played them, but they had two breakaway tries and then scored a try with some quick thinking from a real random penalty that the ref had given them and that was 21 points,” said McGregor.
Ivybridge are able to welcome back Sam Furse, Jake Winters, Tom Scoles and Ben Scott for Saturday’s match.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
WESTERN West leaders Plymstock Albion Oaks will be hoping to extend their advantage at the top when they host ninth-placed Bude at Horsham Fields on Saturday.
Oaks start the year six points clear of second-placed Tiverton, who have a tough match away at in-form fifth-placed Paignton on Saturday.
Oaks have only lost once at home this term – against Tiverton – and they will be big favourites against a Bude side who have only won once away this term.
Bude, though, have proved tricky opponents for Oaks over the years, although Plymstock did win 26-17 away in north Cornwall in September.
In the same division, fourth-placed Tavistock have a tough trip down to sixth-placed St Ives on Saturday.
Just three points separate the two sides in the table so Saints could overtake their visitors if they could win.
Tavistock did win the corresponding game earlier in the season 36-26 at Sandy Park, but St Ives’ home form is impressive. Only Kingsbridge have managed to win down there this season, with the Saints beating leaders Oaks and second-placed Tiverton at Alexandra Road.
Tavistock are set to welcome back captain and top scorer George Hillson after he missed their defeat to Paignton just before Christmas.
Hillson returning will be the only change to their backline personnel from that match, but in the pack Tavistock have to make a host of changes with Joe Burbage, Andrew Schuttkacker, Jack Osborne and Jamie Legg not available. Charlie Charlton, Dan Yeatman, Vaughan Glover and Jack Lewis come into the pack. Jack Rock and Conor Packwood are still missing with injuries.
“It is a long old trip, but we have to go down there confident as we know if we put our mind to it then we can come away with some points,” said Tavistock head coach Joel Caddy.
“I think it should be an interesting afternoon.
“We know it’s not going to be easy and is going to be a tough encounter as they have a big set of forwards.
“And we know we are going to have to be better than we were against Paignton before Christmas when we were our own worst enemies with all the errors we made.
“If we can cut down our errors and move St Ives around then we should be in a decent spot.
However, if we make too many errors then it could be a long, old slog.”
Caddy is pleased that prop Charlton is back fron injury to help boost their front-row options.
“It is good to have him back as he adds competition for front-row spots,” said the Tavistock coach.
COUNTIES TWO
PLYMOUTH Argaum are set to hand a debut to new player-coach Eddie McGinley when they host Counties Two Cornwall leaders Devonport Services II at Bickleigh Down on Saturday.
McGinley, who previously played for Services, joined the Argaum backroom staff just before Christmas as a backs coach.
“It’s really nice to have him involved and around the club with all his experience,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery.
Argaum sit just one place above the relegation zone and Avery knows his team face a tough match against Service II, who are two points clear at the top.
Services II did win the corresponding game at the Rectory in September 59-19.
“We will have to be at our very best to get anything out of Saturday,” admitted Avery.
“When we played them at their place, I think we were unlucky not to get a bonus point and that will be something we will be targeting this weekend to try and get something out of the game. But they did play a really good brand of rugby last time and so we are expecting them to move the ball wide, but maybe the conditions might suit us a bit better as the game might be more attritional.”
He added: “We are looking forward to it. We have a lot better availability than we did when we travelled to Withycombe.”
Argaum, who were unable to train on Thursday night due to the weather, are set to welcome back Tom Mann and Tom Worboys, although backs Billy Stockwell and Jake Turfrey are still missing.
Services II are again expected to be strong and should have a similar team out to that which beat OPMs 48-17 just before Christmas at Keyham.
Weather permitting, OPMs are also due to be at home this weekend with a match against sixth-placed Exmouth II.
Exmouth II have been a bit inconsistent this term and OPMs did beat them 30-20 away in September to record their first win of the campaign.
The Old Boys sit in ninth place, nine points clear of the relegation zone, but Argaum are only a point behind them.
In the same division, bottom side Ivybridge II face the long trip to seventh-placed South Molton.
In Counties Two Cornwall, title-chasing Saltash will be big favourites to pick up another five points when they travel to bottom side Camborne School of Mines.
Camborne SoM have only won one match this season, which came just before Christmas when the triumphed 33-22 against fellow strugglers Bodmin.
When the sides met at Moorlands Lane in September, Saltash won 97-0, despite missing 11 conversions. The Ashes ran in 17 tries that day.
Due to a postponement and a walkover, Saltash have not played a league game since December 2 when they played Redruth II.
Simon Nance, Phil Eatwell, Lewis Stuart and Tom Hollyman come into the starting line-up from that last outing a month ago.
COUNTIES THREE
THERE is a derby game to open 2024 in Counties Three Devon South & West where Old Techs host Plymstock Albion Oaks II at Weston Mill.
The sides sit in seventh and eighth spots respectively and are only separated by five points.
Techs are keen to prove a point after losing 27-8 at Oaks II early in the season.
“The best team won on the day,” admitted Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith on that clash in September.
“Some games you look back and think you should have won, but that was a game where we got well beaten.
“We did not play well and they played exceptionally well.
“It is certainly a game I have not forgotten about and neither have a few of the players.
“I think we would like to right a few wrongs as, without taking anything away from them, that was not really us that day.
“We are looking forward to this game.
“They are seventh and we are eighth and are only five points behind them so that’s a bit of incentive as well.
“We have had a hard run, but we do now have a run of games against teams around us.”
Techs should have about 10 players back from the makeshift team that travelled to Dartmouth just before Christmas, including Josh O’Hare, Steve Wilkinson, Nathan Webb, Dan Pullen, James Douglas and Danny Bond.
Second-placed Tamar Saracens face a tricky start to the year with a trip to sixth-placed Torquay Athletic II, who won five of their final six games before Christmas.
“They don’t really lose any games by much,” said Tamar Saracens head coach Mike Lewis. “They always push everyone all the way. You know whatever team they put out you are going to be in for a really hard challenge.
“Their first team is flying in the league above so the boys that can’t get a game in the first team are stepping down and trying to get their place back so that helps. If your first team is going well then your second team is normally doing better as well.”
After a bit of a stuttering end to 2023, Sarries are keen to get the new year off to a winning start.
“Mentally it is tough if you don’t get that win on the first weekend,” said Lewis. “And at this time of year when it is wet, cold and muddy you want to be spurring people on and making sure you put that extra bit of effort in to try and get a reward.”
He added: “I think we are ready for this weekend. We have 22-23 available. We are still missing a few, but do have a couple back.”
Among those set to return is front-rower Adam Coutts, but hooker Adam Corbett is still missing.
Plympton Victoria will kick-off 2024 with a home game against fourth-placed Paignton II.
When the teams met in south Devon in September, Paignton II triumphed 32-0.
“They taught us a bit of a lesson early in the season at their place, but I think we have improved,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt.
“We are looking forward to the game. Hopefully, the weather will calm down a bit. I think it is forecast to be dry.
“We have 25 players to pick from, including four props – and I’m nowhere near the 25, so numbers are brilliant.
“We have managed to attract a couple of new players over Christmas, which is great and we are just raring to get the new year going.”
In the same division, ninth-placed Tavistock II have a tough test against unbeaten leaders Dartmouth at Sandy Park.
In Counties Three Cornwall, 10th-placed Saltash II are due to host seventh-placed St Agnes, who are only seven points ahead of them having played a game more.