DEVONPORT Services and Plymstock Oaks were both happy to get a first pre-season run-out under their belts on Thursday night at Horsham Fields.
Services ended up winning the 60-minute contest, which was played in three periods, 39-17.
They fielded an experienced side in the opening third and out-scored Oaks three tries to one, with fit-again Mike Rickard, Tom Davies and Liam Jarvis crossing the whitewash for them and Ryan Wills scoring an interception try for Oaks.
Devonport then changed their entire line-up for the second third, giving a lot of their younger players a chance, and Oaks edged that period by two tries to one. Lewie Riley and Josh Waters scored for Plymstock, with Owen Kerswell touching down for Services, who picked up two yellow cards towards the end of that session.
The third period saw mix-and-match sides and Devonport won that thanks to two unanswered tries from Billy Orchard and Sri Lankan former city student Warren Weerakoon.
Services did include Saltash hooker Rob Walsh in their squad, while Ivybridge’s Hayden Coles played for Oaks.
“It was a good old run out,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.
“But it’s one of those things, it’s the first game in pre-season and everyone is a bit rusty, and everyone is a bit keen and wants to try and put a marker down to get a spot for that first game of the year.
“We did some pretty fantastic stuff and played some lovely rugby, but we also did some really poor things. Going forward, that’s what we have to work on in training over the next few weeks.
“We had plenty of players and had lots of boys missing. I think we are in a much better place than we were at this time last year.”
Russell was pleased to see second-row Mike Rickard finally return to action after he suffered a serious shoulder injury in May 2024 while playing for Devon.
“He hadn’t played for over a year, but he looked good,” said Russell, who was also pleased to have Toby Knowles back in action after missing most of last season.
Oaks were also happy with the run out against a side two divisions higher than them.
“We said after the game that the real positive was the amount of numbers we had,” said head coach Lewis Paterson. “That allowed us to rotate and play a lot of lads in that game.
“We were playing a team that was playing in the National League and they are quite a consistent side and I thought it was a really good opportunity for some of our boys to test themselves against that level.
“It was a bit nip and tuck. When both sides are making lots of changes it is quite hard. They probably had a bit of momentum in the first period, but then it stops at 20 and they changed their squad, and it was an opportunity for us to put some fresh legs on and give it a go.
“It was a good chance to blow the cobwebs off – get the lads back playing again and utilise a lot of players, which was really, really positive for us.
“I don’t think we have had that amount of players for a pre-season fixture in a long time.”
Oaks will follow Thursday’s game up with matches against Ivybridge and Crediton, who are both in a higher division.
“If you look at our pre-season fixtures, they are three really good teams – Devonport, Ivybridge and Crediton,” said Paterson.
“We want to try and progress over the next couple of years to that standard and the only way to do that is by playing teams like that. It gives the lads a favour for it.
“I thought we did really well. We had some really good spells.”
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