DEVONPORT Services face a massive away test on Saturday when they make the short trip up the M5 to take on former National One side Taunton Titans (3pm).
Taunton sit third in the table and have not lost at home this season, but Services will head Veritas Park boosted by their first National Two West win last weekend, when they beat Redruth 27-23.
“We have been in most of the games, but to finally get that first win was brilliant,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.
“But we know this is going to be a tough one. They (Taunton) hit a bit of form after losing a couple at the start, but I think they will be licking their wounds after losing to Clifton away last weekend.
“They have got a few boys who have been there for years and also have a few young lads as well who have come into the fold.
“They are going to be good and they are going to play quick and fast. We are just going to have to fight, fight and fight and see what we can get out of it.
“Confidence in the camp is up after last week, but when we have looked back at the analysis we also know that we weren’t fully at the races.”
Saturday will be Services’ sixth away game in their first 10 opening matches.
Although starting with so many away fixtures has been tough, they do know that they do have home games against some of the bottom half teams still to come later in the season.
Taunton might be 11 league places higher than Services, but they have only scored five more tries this season. Devonport’s problem has been conceding tries, although last week they restricted Redruth to just three.
Services will be without full-back Billy Orchard who injured his ankle in the closing stages of their remarkable comeback last week, while lock Kyle Felton is a doubt.
Charlie Groves, who scored for the second team last weekend against Dartmouth, could return to the first team squad.
REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST
IVYBRIDGE face a massive match this weekend when they cross the Tamar to take on St Austell away.
The Bridgers sit in the relegation zone after eight games, but they are only five points behind ninth-placed St Austell.
The Saints have only claimed one more win than Ivybridge, so it is a big game for both sides at Tregorrick Park.
The Bridgers did win both matches last season by just one point – triumphing 20-19 in Cornwall and 36-35 at Cross-in-Hand.
Ivybridge do make a number of changes to their team that lost 34-14 to leaders Exmouth last weekend.
Michael Jenson, who started at flanker last Saturday, switches to hooker, with Henry Trudgill moving to loose-head prop and Jack Jones coming in at tight-head.
Adam Northcott returns to the back-row, with Dan Skeemer switching from the wing to number eight in place of Matt Skeemer.
Harry Lakeman comes on to the wing, with Giles Clarke moving to the other wing and Ben Fallows switching to full-back.
St Austell have lost their last three matches, but they have beaten Brixham at home. Their only other victories have come against Chew Valley and Matson.
Ivybridge’s two wins have come against Chew Valley and Sidmouth.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
LEADERS Plymstock Oaks will be looking to keep their 100 per cent home record going when they host struggling St Ives at Horsham Fields on Saturday.
Oaks, who have only lost once this term – away at the Pirates Amateurs, have played five of their first eight matches on their travels.
But when they have been at home they have run in the points and are averaging more than 40 a game at Horsham Fields.
St Ives have only won two games this term and sit in the bottom three, but last weekend they did cause something of an upset by securing a 29-29 draw with high-flying Paignton.
Last year’s matches between Oaks and St Ives both went with home form, with Oaks triumphing 38-26 at Horsham Fields and St Ives winning 19-12 in Cornwall.
Tavistock will probably be hoping Oaks do beat St Ives as the Cornish club sit just one place above them with the same number of points.
Clubs have been told that a maximum of three and a minimum of none will be relegated from Western West, so anyone wanting to stay up needs to make sure they finish ninth or above to avoid a nervous waiting game.
Tavistock will be hoping they can close the gap on ninth-placed Penryn when they meet them at Sandy Park on Saturday.
Penryn currently sit six points ahead of Tavistock, who have only won once this season.
Penryn’s wins this term have come against fellow strugglers Bideford, Bude and St Ives, but they have not won on their travels yet this campaign.
Tavistock, meanwhile, have collected all nine of their points at home and they are determined to try and add to that tally this weekend.
“We’ve had a couple of positive sessions this week,” said captain and player-coach Hammy Kerswill. “And a few fresh faces to the sport joining us, which is nice to see.
“Again, we have lads keen to learn and better themselves and lads putting in good performances at the weekend.
“We have been better at home this year and have scored some great tries, but we need to tighten up our defence if we are to get the most from our attack.”
Tavistock are still missing a number of key players, but they are able to welcome back Rich Cann, Ethan Lamerton, Chris Watts, Ed Tait and Eli Horsfield and there is the possibility that Joe Burbage could also be back and maybe Mark Diebner, who has not played for the Tavistock first team since 2011. Hooker Kerswill is likely to start, even though he has been struggling with injury.
COUNTIES TWO
TAMAR Saracens should be fired up for Saturday’s clash with their old rivals Dartmouth.
The sides locked horns last season for the Counties Three Devon South & West title and also clashed in the RFU Community Cup.
Dartmouth narrowly edged all three encounters to claim the league title, but Sarries were also promoted as an extra place in Counties Two Devon became available.
And Sarries have made a better start to life at level eight. They sit in fifth place with four wins and four defeats, whereas Dartmouth lie in ninth spot with just two wins to their name. However, those two wins have come in their last four games and were against fellow Plymouth sides Plymouth Argaum and OPMs.
“There’s a bit of a rivalry between us,” said Tamar Saracens’ head coach Mike Lewis ahead of Saturday’s trip to the South Hams. “They just pipped us in the league and the cup last season, so we definitely owe them one.
“We have got a plan, but it is all about the day.
“Theoretically we should be favourites given our league position and results. But you don’t know what to expect in this league as there are so many ups and downs due to availability. Any team can beat anyone, apart from maybe the top two, on their day.
“We know it’s going to be tough, but we just have to try and make sure we avenge last season a bit. We need to keep that fire in the belly and remember that they beat us in the cup and the league.”
Sarries returned to winning ways last weekend with a 33-13 home win over South Molton.
“They were no pushovers,” said Lewis. “They were strong in the scrum, they were physical. Out of the 22 we had, 17 were forwards we managed to maul them a little bit better than they did us. We pushed quite hard in the forwards and they just ran out of gas a bit as they only had 17.”
But this weekend, Sarries have the opposite selection problem.
“Last week we had forwards in abundance, but this week it’s the other way around,” said Lewis. “We have loads of backs but are a bit low on forwards.”
OPMs’ minds are likely to be 200 miles away on Twickenham rather than on their away match at Exeter Saracens.
The club’s team manager Shaun Grundy won an RFU competition and so 24 members of the city club will be heading to Twickenham and will be flag bearers for England’s game with South Africa.
“This is a unique experience that doesn’t come along every day so we’re delighted to reward all of those who work hard for the club with this amazing offer,” said the club.
But while some of their members will be on the pitch at Twickenham and experiencing a VIP day out, others will be battling it out for points at Exhibition Fields.
The Old Boys will be expecting a tough match with fourth-placed Exeter, who convincingly beat them at Exhibition Fields last year, although OPMs did get revenge at King George V Playing Fields.
“Hopefully if we have the right availability we can go there with the right mind set,” said Grundy.
Last week against Torquay, the Old Boys really struggled for front-row players and captain Billy Garratt had to step in, but they will be hoping to be stronger in that area this weekend.
Plymouth Argaum, who have suffered two heavy defeats in a row to drop down to 10th, face a massive test on Saturday when they travel to unbeaten league leaders Torquay Athletic.
Argaum have suffered with availability problems the last couple of weeks.
“For me there is absolutely no reason if we get good availability that we can go up there and compete,” said head coach Dean Avery. “We showed that we could compete with Devonport Services away, but it is all down to who makes themselves available and what sort of side we can put out.”
Devonport Services II remain firmly on the heels of Torquay. They are also unbeaten and sit just a point behind their south Devon rivals.
This weekend, Services II face a tricky trip to Topsham II, who last week beat Argaum 42-0 away.
Topsham II have only won two matches – their other victory was against Dartmouth – but like a lot of second teams they can be strong on their day.
Services should be able to field another strong side, although Charlie Groves is likely to be promoted to the first team.
In Counties Two Cornwall, unbeaten leaders Saltash play their only real derby game when they host Plymouth Combination rivals Liskeard-Looe at Moorlands Lane.
Saltash have dominated the derby fixture in recent years and have not lost to the Lions in a league game since 2011.
Last season, Liskeard handed Saltash a home walkover, but they did play at Lux Park this time last year, with the Ashes winning 48-0.
Liskeard currently sit in eighth place with three wins out of eight to their name. They beat Bodmin last weekend and have also beaten Veor and Hayle. They have been close in some of their other matches, narrowly losing by one score to both Helston and Wadebridge Camels II.
Saltash will make just one change to their starting line-up that beat Hayle 74-7 away last weekend, with the experienced Tom Rixson coming in at lock for James Sutton.
On the bench, Aidan Marshall and Nick Blake are added.
COUNTIES THREE
OLD Techs will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they host Torquay Athletic II at Weston Mill on Saturday.
Techs’ winning start to the year was dramatically ended away at leaders Brixham II, who beat them 54-14.
But third-placed Techs know they cannot let one defeat get to them.
“Last week was disappointing,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith. “But we did not have any complaints about the result.
“It was just disappointing that we got it back to 18-7 at half-time but then three minutes into the second half we gave away an intercept which killed us. Then in the last 20 minutes we just missed too many tackles.
“But we have to move on and try to get back to winning ways this weekend.
“It was just one bad game and just one loss. A lot of the boys were disappointed with their performance as they knew they did not perform as they can and they do want to put it right.
“We have worked on stuff in training this week and we will be looking to try and get a win at home against Torquay.
“It’s not about panicking and trying to change things as what we have been doing has worked well.”
Techs know it won’t be easy against sixth-placed Torquay II.
“Their first team is doing really well and are top of the league above,” said Bedford-Smith. “And you don’t know what type of team they might have out.
“But for us it is just about trying to right some wrongs.”
Techs do have Conor McQueen, Ben Hockey and Sion Norville back, but Josh O’Hare, Steve Wilkinson, Ben Wheatley, Lewis Harvey and Tom Blythe are among those missing.
Plympton Victoria, boosted by their first win of the season last weekend, have a tough home match against unbeaten leaders Brixham II.
Plym Vic ended their losing run in style last Saturday by beating Plymstock Oaks II 53-3 at Horsham Fields.
Playing Brixham II will be another step up altogether, but Plym Vic have shown on their day at home that they can frustrate sides.
They did manage to score three tries against them last season in a 56-17 team defeat.
Their win last week has moved them up to seventh in the table.
Plymstock Oaks II find themselves second-from-bottom now after pulling out of their fixture away at Salcombe this weekend. It is the second team they have handed a walkover to and means they are now on zero points after losing 10.
Second-placed Ivybridge II are due to host bottom side Kingsbridge II at home on Saturday.
The Bridgers, like Techs, have only lost one game – against Brixham II.
Ivybridge II are able to name a strong side for Saturday’s match, which includes the likes of Wes Vermigle, Seb Musgrave, Dan Gloyns, Ben Winters, Hayden Coles and Matt Gilbury.
In Counties Three Cornwall, sixth-placed Saltash II should have been playing host to ninth-placed Penryn II at Chapel Field but their visitors have handed them a walkover.