FOR THE third season running, Old Techs will be left kicking their heels on the opening day of the campaign.
With an odd number of teams in the division, one side will always be left without a fixture and Techs get their blank weekend right at the beginning of the year.
Last season they were handed a walkover on the opening day by Kingsbridge II and the year before their first fixture at Totnes was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.
“It is a little bit frustrating not having a game,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith. “The lads just want to get out and play, but it’s just how it’s fallen.
“I suppose you can look at it the other way – we do have an extra week to get ready.
“But we are going to have a second team game against Tamar Saracens seconds on Saturday. That gives some fringe players and some of the new lads that are new to the game and some vets a run-out.”
After a strong finish to last term and some strong recruitment, Techs might be one of the teams to beat in the league after the promotion of both Dartmouth and Tamar Saracens.
“At the beginning of the season every team is probably optimistic and thinks they can be up or around there,” said Bedford-Smith. “But you don’t know who has recruited or who has retired.
“There could be a mid-table team from last season or one that was near the bottom but all of a sudden they have an influx of players and could be a surprise package.
“I think it is wide open. You don’t really know what you are going to get until four or five games into the season.”
He added: “We’ve had a really good pre-season – best I have known for a number of years. Players are buying into everything.
“I don’t think we have lost anyone, and we have recruited a wide variety of people from those that have never played before to people like Sam Matts, who has played at a higher level.”
Ollie Marks, Kyle O’Callaghan and Ryan Smith are players new to senior club rugby who have joined Techs, while Harley Adams has returned from Saltash, with Dale Partington also moving from Moorlands Lane to Weston Mill and Matts switching from OPMs.
They also have players like Will Booth and Dale Thompson returning from injuries.
“We had a lot of injuries in the last couple months of the season,” said Bedford-Smith. “When we played the Ellis Cup final those were the only 19 players we had fit, but the guys that came in played really well so that has given us a headache, which is why we are trying to restart the second team.”
Techs played higher league Argaum and Liskeard-Looe away in pre-season.
“We had two really hard away games, which is what we wanted because our away form last season was not great,” added Bedford-Smith. “We wanted to try and work on our negatives.
“What is key for us is having a consistent team most weeks.
“And I think players have finally bought into that. I think they have realised at the end of last season when we got to two cup finals that they are good enough and can do it, but it is ultimately down to them.
“We keep saying if they commit and keep a core of players together then we should do well.
“I’m not saying we are going to win the league, but we certainly think we could be up in the mix.”
Another team launching a second team are Plympton Victoria.
They have gone from strength to strength since moving to St Mary’s Field and returning to league rugby last season.
Although they found wins hard to come by last term, they were very competitive and should have really finished ninth instead of 11th, but the league decided to carry forward points deductions for teams not fulfilling fixtures at the end of last term to this season rather than deducted them last year.
Plym Vic are now keen to build on last season.
“Our numbers have been good,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt. “And we are hoping to get a second team out on September 28 when the firsts are at Salcombe.
“It will give us a great chance to get some of the new players into a competitive game.”
On the first teams hopes, Hunt added: “I think we are looking at the upper half of the table, especially considering there should be three teams starting on minus points for forfeiting games at the end of last season where they didn’t get minus five for it.
“I think if Salcombe keep the same manpower they had last year then they should do well and Techs are always a steady team.
“But the second teams in the league can always be a bit iffy, as if the firsts are having a hard season, then the seconds suffer.”
Plym Vic do have a tough start with a trip to Ivybridge II, who have come down from the league above.
The Bridgers could field three former Plym Vic players in their squad with Harry Towle and Jamie Hough joining Sam Wilmington at Cross-in-Hand this summer.
“Ivybridge II are a bit of unknown,” said Hunt. “At the end of last season they couldn’t get a team out but we’ve heard they have recruited well across the club so we’ll just have to see.”
Ivybridge’s head coach Davy McGregor said: “I feel if we’d had a few more numbers last year we wouldn’t have gone down. The reason we went down as because we couldn’t field teams, but that transition period is over.”
Plymstock Oaks II are due to host Tavistock II at Horsham Fields, although Tavvy are struggling for numbers.
Oaks II’s finished seventh last season and are keen to improve on that.
“We have got really good depth, especially in the forwards,” said Oaks coach Lewis Paterson.
“I think it will be an exciting season for the twos once we have a couple of people back.”
Dan Larn has become Oaks II’s new captain, replacing Stu Collyer, who stepped back due to work commitments.
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II will host St Austell III at Moorlands Lane.
The Ashes second string enjoyed an encouraging first season in league rugby last term, as they finished eighth.
And they should be stronger for that experience and with more colts having moved up into the seniors.
St Austell II’s finished fifth last year so Saturday’s game will be a good test to see how far the Ashes have progressed.