DEVONPORT Services return to action after a three-week Christmas break with a home game against Old Redcliffians (2.30pm).

Bottom side Services are 13 points off safety and so need to start picking up some more wins to go to the two they have already secured.

Old Reds sit in eighth spot, with six victories to their name, including a 43-5 success over Services in September.

After two wins in three games during November, Devonport were disappointed to only pick up a point in December from matches against Hornets, Camborne and Exeter University.

“I think a realistic target was trying to get seven points from those three games in December,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.

“When you look at our results, we let ourselves down at Hornets, Camborne was just Camborne and against Exeter University we were just really poor.

“But we’ll keep on fighting and try and pick up points.

“It is a big one this weekend with us being at home.

“We actually started really well against them (Old Reds) up there and we should have been a couple of tries up at half-time, but then we gave away an intercept and didn’t get given a penalty try and then in the second half we gave them another intercept and some soft tries.”

As well as all their long-term injuries, Services will be without Bertie Fordham and Henry Gliddon this weekend, while hooker Aiden Taylor will need to pass a fitness test.

But they are able to welcome back flanker James Hocking and fly-half Richard West, while former Mount Kelly College pupil and Royal Navy under-23 player Ben Callard could make his first team debut.

“We are still missing a few boys, but it has been the same all year,” said Russell, who has been without Mike Rickard, Mark Friend, Harrison Coonick, Matt Neyle and Toby Knowles for most of the season.

“We knew we were going to be missing some boys long-term and we have missed players like Harrison Coonick, Matt Neyle and Mike Rickard, but the good news is that Mark Friend is training again, which is nice to see and he should be back soon.”

REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST

LIFE does not get any easier for relegation-threatened Ivybridge in Regional One South West as they entertain leaders Barnstaple at Cross-in-Hand on Saturday.

It follows last week’s game against third-placed Launceston and next week they will visit second-placed Brixham.

The Bridgers always knew it was going to be a difficult start to 2025, but they were encouraged by their performance last weekend against Launceston, despite losing 38-7.

Head coach Davy McGregor is now just hoping his team can start taking their chances.

“The pressure in some ways is still on, but in others it is off,” he said. “Maybe we can be that banana skin for teams.

“Sometimes when you are in the position we are in, teams might take you for granted a little bit. It’s about making sure when we get inside the 22 that we do come away with points.”

Ivybridge were crushed 80-15 by Barnstaple away in September and were also beaten 68-16 by then in January.

“They are a different team away from home than they are at home,” said McGregor. “For 30 minutes at home last year we were well in the fight, but we got two yellow cards and they scored 21 points and the floodgates opened a bit.

“What I have said to the boys is just keep staying in there. I can’t fault their attitude.”

Ivybridge do make seven changes to their starting team from last week’s game against Launceston.

Wes Vermigle, Henry Trudgill, Archie Mitchell, Adam Northcott, Ben Fallows, Harry Lakeman and Erdem Mumcu all come into the team, with Elliot Harwood, Owen Garner, Dan Gloyns, Michael Jenson, Harry Cane, Matt Skeemer and Adon Blouws all dropping out.

COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST

PLYMSTOCK Oaks and Tavistock are both down in Cornwall this weekend in Western West.

Third-placed Oaks have a tricky trip to ninth-placed Penryn, while second-from-bottom Tavistock visit sixth-placed Redruth II.

Both Cornish clubs are well known for their good home form.

All of Penryn’s four wins have come on their own pitch, while Redruth II have only lost once at home this season.

Oaks did beat Penryn 31-12 at home earlier this season, but Penryn did beat them at their place in March.

Plymstock are awaiting on player availability and will be looking for their first away win since November 9.

Tavistock are also waiting on players ahead of their trip to Redruth II.

Last week they were able to name 35 players for two home matches, but this weekend they are again struggling to get a side for an away game.

Tavistock will know it will be difficult to return with any points from the Recreation Ground, but they will take heart from a narrow 36-34 home defeat earlier in the season.

COUNTIES TWO

DEVONPORT Services II and Tamar Saracens will both be looking to bounce back from frustrating defeats when they meet at Keyham on Saturday in Counties Two Devon.

Services II’s title challenge suffered possibly a fatal blow when they were surprisingly beaten 24-7 away at Withycombe, while Sarries were edged out 17-14 at home by city rivals Plymouth Argaum.

Services II’s defeat was only their second of the season, but it has dropped them down to fourth, 16 points behind leaders Torquay, albeit it with a game in hand.

“I think it had been coming as we hadn’t been playing the rugby we should have been playing,” admitted Services head coach Ben Russell.

“We just need a run of games where we have the same players week-in, week-out. In the last five games we have probably used 35-40 different players.”

Saracens’ head coach Mike Lewis, who was previously at Services, is hoping his team can hit their top form on the artificial pitch and show a clinical edge that was missing last week against Argaum.

“Last week was so frustrating,” said Lewis. “Watching the video back, our set-piece was good, we were good around the park, but we should have finished off a couple more tries. We had a couple of really good moves, but we just didn’t look for the support quick enough.

“It was the first game back after Christmas and so we weren’t expecting to be fantastic, but we should have got a couple more scores.

“Their tries were just pick-and-goes. In the first half every time they tried to attack we knocked them back and back again but in the second half we just slipped off a couple of tackles and they are good at the close game and we just let them through.

“That was a bit frustrating, however, I think we’ll learn a lot from it.”

Sarries should have front-rower Adam Coutts back after illness, while they are waiting on the availability of Ryan Deacon.

Lewis is not too worried about the switch from grass to the 3G.

“Our backline is fantastic and we are a team that like to throw the ball around so it suits us to play on a drier track, but we’ll have to see,” he said.

Plymouth Argaum will be hoping to build on their win over Sarries when they host Exmouth II at Bickleigh Down on Saturday.

Their win at the Parkway last weekend was their first since October and moved them off the foot of the table.

Exmouth II did just edge Argaum out 22-19 at the Imperial Ground in September and another close game is expected at Roborough this weekend.

“We have to look at this game at home and then South Molton away,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery.

“The boys have to buy into it, if we want to stay up. You don’t want to be losing every week as that’s not want people want to be doing; they want to be winning games.”

OPMs are also at home in Counties Two Devon this weekend when they take on bottom side South Molton.

The Old Boys were frustrated to open 2025 with a 29-20 away defeat to Exmouth II, despite scoring four tries.

“We can’t make the same mistakes (as last week) and we can’t go into the game with the view that they are bottom of the table,” said OPMs team manager Shaun Grundy,

The Old Boys have a double-header at King George V Playing Fields as their second team are also at home as they entertain New Cross II also at 2.30pm.

In Counties Two Cornwall, unbeaten league leaders Saltash could take another giant step towards the title if they can beat fourth-placed Perranporth away this weekend.

The next two weeks will be crucial to the Ashes hopes of finally securing promotion.

After Saturday’s trip to Perranporth, they then host second-placed Helston next weekend at Moorlands Lane.

If the Ashes can win both games then it would be very tough for anyone to catch them.

Perranporth did make Saltash work quite hard for a 48-19 home win back in September. That is the best performance from any side who have visited Moorlands Lane this season and the Ashes will be expecting them to be even better on their home patch.

Perranporth have only lost once at home this season and they have shown on their day that they can score points.

Saltash make just one change to the team that beat Falmouth 93-0 at home, with the experienced Tom Rixson coming into the second-row.

COUNTIES THREE DEVON SOUTH & WEST

OLD Techs will move to the top of the table if they can beat fifth-placed Paignton II away on Saturday.

Techs currently sit second level on points with leaders Ivybridge II, but their title rivals are without a match this weekend.

But Techs are aware that this weekend could be a banana skin as they lost on their last trip to Paignton II, although they did beat 55-17 at home in September.

“Every team in this league is stronger at home,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.

“You always have to be wary of teams when playing away and we do expect it to be a tough game.

“They are mid-table but as we said to the players on Thursday, we were mid-table last season but if we had our best side out then we were able to push the sides that got promoted.

“It is a potential banana skin, like playing Torquay II away. The good thing is we are going away from home with a good side.

“We certainly can’t complain about commitment this season. Despite how cold it was on Thursday we still had a load at training.”

Techs will be missing the influential Billy Evans, who damaged his ribs and hurt his elbow last week against Totnes, while winger Dan Pullen picked up a minor leg injury.

But Techs do have Nathan Webb, Neil Harmse and Eddie Ramazani back available. They have also added two new navy signings, although they are not available this week. Brandon Chaston, a hooker, and back Kieran Baldry have joined them.

In the same division, Plympton Victoria make the trip to the team just above them in the table, Totnes.

Totnes have picked up in recent weeks, although they were beaten 70-0 last week away at Techs.

“We’ll be expecting them to be strong as everyone always seems to have their strongest team out against us,” laughed Chris Hunt. “We’ll just see how it goes.”

Plym Vic were relatively happy with their performance last week in a 34-10 defeat at the hands of fourth-placed Salcombe.

When the sides met earlier in the season, Totnes just edged it 25-22.

Also in Devon South & West, Plymstock Oaks II are due to host fellow strugglers Kingsbridge II at Horsham Fields.