YOUNGSTER Leighton Stark is in line to make his first start for Devonport Services as they bid for their first National League win at home to Clifton on Saturday (2.30pm).
Fly-half Stark is set to get his chance with fellow backs Richard West, Dylan Daley, Matt Neyle, Harrison Coonick, Charlie Grooves and Toby Knowles injured or unavailable.
He had made his first team debut as a replacement in Services’ last game against Cinderford away.
“It’s a massive chance for him,” said Devonport head coach Ben Russell. “He’s a very good rugby player. He’s still got a lot to learn, but he stepped up well when he came on last week.”
Veteran forward Mike Hunt is also expected to be handed a first National League start after coming on from the bench against Cinderford last week, with Joe Stansfield, Kyle Felton, Mark Friend, Mike Rickard and James Hocking ruled out.
But Services are boosted by the return of Oli Symons, Dan Goldstone (pictured top), Aiden Taylor and Billy Orchard, who has returned to the Rectory from Plymouth Albion.
It will be Devonport’s only third home game of the season and they are desperate to get their first win against a side who have only one once this term.
“It’s a big one,” admitted Russell. “We have two away from home straight afterwards and all three are big games.
“Clifton have been in National Two for years, they are coached well and have got a good group of players.
“When you watch them they play like a typical National Two side – they have a good forward pack and a good nine-10 combo.
“I am looking forward to the game. It is nice to be back at home.”
Clifton, who finished third last season, have surprisingly only won of their opening four games. They beat Old Redcliffians at home, but have been beaten by Luctonians and Hinckley, while earning a draw with Exeter University.
“It just shows how competitive the league is this year,” said Russell. “They have struggled for results so far this season, yet they finished third last year.
“It really is a competitive league as we have found. If you are not on your game, then you don’t win.
“We are battling and working hard and we have got some boys back, which is good, although we still have a load out.
“We are excited to be back at home and we want to try and make it a bit of a fortress again.”
Russell was impressed with some of the performances of squad players in Wednesday night’s fixture against the Royal Navy U23s, which a Services XV won 40-29.
“There were some really good performances,” said Russell. “We were really good in the first half, but we made all those changes and we’ve lost a bit of shape and a bit of how we play in the second half, but there really were some good performances.”
REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST
IVYBRIDGE have a tough test in Regional One South West when they make the trip to north Devon to take on home specialists Barnstaple.
Barnstaple have not lost a home league game since returning to level five from National Two West in 2023.
They finished as runners-up last season to Devonport Services and they beat Ivybridge convincingly in both matches, triumphing 68-16 at Cross-in-Hand and 55-7 at home.
Ivybridge, who have been heavily beaten in their last two matches against Launceston and Royal Wootton Bassett, will be the underdogs, but head coach Davy McGregor hopes his team embrace the challenge.
“We’re as ready as we are going to be,” he said.
“The main focus for us is that we don’t get caught up in the whole travel, where we are going and who they are. We can’t become insular because potentially we are panicking about what may happen as you just don’t know.
“If the weather is like they are talking about on Saturday then it’s not going to be a massively high scoring game. Sometimes you just have to stay in the fight.”
He added: “We are riddled with injuries, which is not ideal. We have about eight first team players injured and we are going to have another nine changes to the side we had out against Launceston.
“We are getting loads of numbers training, but when you are having to make so many changes to your first team every week there is no consistency.”
Ivybridge are currently 10th in the table with one win from their opening four games, but McGregor does not think people should be panicking about their start.
“There seems to be a lot of panic about what is going on at Ivybridge, but we are only four games in,” he said. “Nothing is lost yet. If we are having this conversation in February or March, then it’s a different ball game.
“People talk about Ivybridge potentially struggling, but Brixham have only won the same number of games as us and they are normally a top four side at this time of the year.
“Nothing is lost yet, but I do think there is a bit of panic setting in. I do get that, as it comes with results and we have suffered two heavy defeats effectively in our last two games. But you can’t play games on what has happened; you have to play games on what might happen.”
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
PLYMSTOCK Oaks will be looking to continue their great start to the season when they host Cornish side Penryn at Horsham Fields on Saturday.
Oaks have won five out of five of their opening league and cup matches and last week were crowned Devon’s team of the month for September.
In the league they have scored an impressive 247 points in their first four games and only conceded 40.
They will be favourites this week against a Penryn side who have only won one match so far this term, which was at home to St Ives.
But Oaks head coach has warned his team against complacency, especially after they lost away at Penryn in March.
“We’ve got Penryn at home and we will be confident, but we want to be a humble side who just work and work and work.”
Penryn have actually won two of the last three meetings between the clubs, but Oaks did triumphe 45-7 at home last season.
In the same division, Tavistock will be looking to claim their second win of the season when they host Redruth II at Sandy Park.
Both clubs have almost identical records this term, with one bonus point win to their name and with both scoring 60 points in total. The pair sit ninth and 10th in the table and so both will see it as a big game.
Player-coach Hammy Kerswill said: “It is a big game at home, but we are in the unknown. I am expecting a battle up front.
“Prep as per normal this season, has not been great, but we have boys playing capable of getting results.”
He added: “We have a few missing due to a birthday, but there is a return for Dan Yeatman and Jack Lewis, who make their first starts of the year, and Andrew Craddock returns to midfield.”
COUNTIES TWO
THERE is an eye-catching derby game in Counties Two Devon where newly-promoted Tamar Saracens take on unbeaten Devonport Services II.
Both clubs sit in the top five, with Services II having won four out of four of their games and Sarries having triumphed in three out of their four.
There are also plenty of links between the two clubs with former Services’ head coach Mike Lewis having taken on the same role at the Parkway and with ex-Devonport players Harrison Reburn, Cory Moore and Chris McDonald also on the coaching staff at Sarries.
“I think it is going to be a good test for both teams,” said Lewis.
“They are flying at the minute – they are doing really well whoever they come against.
“They have managed to score a lot points, so we just have to be wary of that really.
“Their first team is having a tough ride at the minute with injuries and, I know it sound horrible, but that could help us out slightly, as they might have to call a couple more up to fill first team spots.
“I think they are one of the favourites to get promoted in the league and we know we have to be on our game.
“They try to play a bit of rugby and we try to play a bit of rugby. If we play like we did against Argaum and they play like they have done in the last few weeks, then it should be a good spectacle.
“We know what to expect from them and they should know what to expect from us, hopefully, we just don’t cancel each other out.”
Sarries do have Adam Corbett, Tom Hicklin and Harrison Reburn back and available for selection this weekend.
Services II coach Tom Richards said: “We’re really excited for the game. They (Sarries) are on the up and doing really well. Mikey Lewis is doing some great stuff down there, with some ex-Services players, especially Reburn who is doing really well.
“It will be good to get down and see some of those boys and have another local derby.
“I think they will be looking to try and take another scalp. They are doing fantastically well for their first season in the league.”
Despite all the changes Services II have had to make this season with so many first team players out injured, the team have continued winning.
“We are really pleased,” said Richards. “We are bringing a lot of new players in, but they are slotting in seamlessly.
“We are four from four in the league and won against last weekend at Torquay in the cup so we are five from five, which is fantastic.”
Plymouth Argaum and OPMs both have crucial away games this weekend against teams just below them.
Ninth-placed Argaum make the trip to bottom side Exmouth II, while eighth-placed OPMs visit South Molton.
Exmouth II may not have won a game yet, but Argaum head coach Dean Avery expects them to be tough at home.
“I think it is going to be a tough test,” he said.
“Exmouth’s ones are top of their league so I’m expecting they will have a lot of players trying to push for the first team.
“I know they lost narrowly away to OPMs in their last outing, but I think it is going to be a very tough game.
“Fortunately, we have a strong team going up and hopefully we can get four or five points.
“If we can get a result on Saturday then we go into a block of playing teams below us so there is an opportunity for us to be looking at mid-table, if results go our way, but if not we are looking at a similar situation as last season.”
Argaum are set to be without front-rower Tom Mann for six or seven weeks after he injured his shoulder in their last match, while Luke McCreath is also missing this week.
OPMs, like Argaum, only have one win to their name so far this season, but they will be looking to improve on that record when they make the tricky trip to South Molton, who also just have one victory so far.
Games between OPMs and South Molton have tended to be close over the years, but the Old Boys did lose both games against them last season.
A club spokesperson said: “South Molton haven’t had the best of starts but are a different beast at home and it’s always a tough place to come away with points. But the boys are up for the challenge with plenty of names returning to the mix.”
In Counties Two Cornwall, unbeaten leaders Saltash have a big home match against third-placed Perranporth on Saturday.
Perranporth, along with Helston, are leading the chasing pack and have won three out of four of their matches, including beating Bodmin 72-11 in their last outing.
Saltash, who did beat Falmouth in their last game, will be wary as they know from previous seasons that they cannot afford one slip up.
The Ashes are missing powerful forwards Ryan Rayner and Lewis Woolaway and they are replaced by Steve Hillman and youngster Charlie Knight, while in the backs Will Morton, Greg Eatwell and Danny Snook are available again.
COUNTIES THREE
PLYMPTON Victoria will be looking to finally get off the mark in Counties Three Devon South & West when they host fellow strugglers Totnes at St Mary’s Field.
Both clubs have yet to get a win, with Plym Vic having a tough start to the season with games against Ivybridge II, Old Techs and Salcombe.
“It should be an interesting game,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt. “But the last time they played us they beat us.
“That was a really strange game. We had massive and massive amounts of possession, but we just couldn’t do anything with it – we couldn’t buy a try for cold money. And the few times they got their hands on the ball they managed to create scoring opportunities.
“But I think it should be a good, even contest, but we’ll just have to see. It would be really good if we could get that win.”
He added: “We are a little bit shy of backs at the minute as we have a few away, but we have good numbers again and have had to turn people down again. We’ve got a full squad and some extra.”
Old Techs will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign when they host mid-table Paignton II at Weston Mill.
“I think this could be our sternest test yet,” said Old Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.
“You don’t really know what you are going to get with second teams.
“They have played four and won two, but the two games they have lost were to the top two teams, Ivybridge II and Brixham II.
“I think we narrowly lost to them home and away last season, but both games were close.
“But we just have to keep playing like we have been playing, although we know it is still early days.”
Techs are missing Billy Evans, Jack Williams, Lewis Harvey, Eddie Ramazani, Steve Wilkinson and Dale Thompson this week, but they should have Ben Hockey, Josh O’Hare, Tom Blythe, Sam Courtney and Sione Norville back.
“It’s good that we have got strength in depth now,” said Bedford-Smith. “We are missing some quality players, but we have some quality players coming back and it’s up to them now to try and keep their place. It’s good that we have that competition for places now.”
Leaders Ivybridge II have been handed a walkover by Tavistock II, while Oaks II are set to visit Kingsbridge II.
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II are due to host leaders Launceston II, while in a club match, OPMs Jesters will play Ivybridge III.