OLD TECHS will be looking to continue their good season and reach the final of the Devon Junior Cup this weekend.

Techs are due to visit Counties Three Devon North & East outfit Exeter Athletic on Saturday in the semi-finals of the competition.

Higher league Withycombe are awaiting the winner after they beat Plymouth Argaum in their semi-final earlier this month.

Techs, who reached last year’s Devon Junior Bowl final, would love to be involved in another showpiece event.

“Everyone wants to get to a cup final,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.

“Exeter Athletic are in the other league to us and I don’t think they are having the best of seasons, but when you get to cup finals and cup semi-finals, anything can happen.

“They are at home, which makes it a bit more difficult for us, and they might have loads of people making themselves available to play in a home semi-final.”

Techs kept themselves in the Devon South & West title race last weekend by beating Brixham II 33-19. They are second in the standings behind Ivybridge II, although third-placed Brixham II do have a game in hand.

“We still have a lot to play for and a lot of games to cram in,” said Bedford-Smith.

“We are still in the Ellis Cup, the Devon Junior Cup, still in the promotion race and we have also entered the Papa Johns Cup this season.

“Winning last Saturday has kept us in the league. I think that was the best I have seen us play for a long time, certainly this season.

“There was a lot of pressure on us as we knew if we lost that would be it. We also had a sponsors and old boys’ day and the opening of our clubhouse so there was pressure.

“We might have to make some enforced changes this week and we also need to make sure we can juggle everything.”

Plymouth Argaum and Saltash are also set to battle it out in a cup semi-final this weekend.

They are due to meet at Moorlands Lane in the Plymouth Combination Lockie Cup.

Argaum are struggling a bit for availability, but they want to play the game as even if they do not make the Lockie Cup final they will still have a chance to drop into the RNEC Cup.

“We have got quite bad availability, as it was supposed to be a week off,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery. “But we want to try and fulfil the fixture.”

He added: “I know Saltash have been running away with the league in the Cornwall side, but we don’t know how that league stands up to the one we are currently in. It would be nice to get a good side together and give them a good game.”

Saltash just need one more point to be crowned Counties Two Cornwall champions. They have not lost a game all season and will be big favourites to reach the Lockie Cup final yet again.

In league rugby, Devonport Services II will now host Exeter Saracens in a Counties Two Devon fixture.

The previously postponed game was supposed to be taking place at Exeter’s Exhibition Way pitch, but concerns over the weather has meant that it will now be played at Keyham (2pm).

“They wanted to reverse the fixture,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.

“They are going to come to us this time and we are going to go to them later, but it is going to be quite hard as we are going to have Honiton, Exeter Saracens and Torquay all away in the last three games.”

He added: “We are missing a load of forwards this weekend, but we have got quite a few backs returning and we will have a lot of pace in the backline.”

Among the forwards not available are Jack Jones, Matt Storey, Sean Harrison, Yianni Costas, Tyler Busfield, Sam Bennett, Al Thomas and Cam Donkin.

However, Luke Stannard is due to make his return in the backs, while Matt Neyle could get some more game-time after making his comeback last weekend after a year-long injury. 

Services do not have a first team match this weekend, which Russell feels is quite welcome after last Saturday’s vital win over Hinckley.

“The boys were brilliant last week and it’s probably nice to have a bit of a break and mend some broken bodies,” he said.

In Counties One Western West, struggling Tavistock are due to visit fifth-placed Redruth II.

Tavistock’s hope of getting out of the bottom two are looking slim now after only one win in eight games, including a 58-17 home loss to Kingsbridge last Saturday.

They are again struggling for availability for a long away trip on what should have been a blank weekend.

However, they are due to welcome back Jack Rock and Tylo Coupland, while Will White could return for the first time since Christmas.

Elsewhere, Plymouth Victoria will be getting a second team out again as they host OPM Jesters at St Mary’s Field.