DEVONPORT Services and Ivybridge lock horns on Saturday at Cross-in-Hand in the quarter-finals of the Devon Senior Cup (3pm).
Regional One South West side Services are the highest ranked team in the competition, having come down from National Two West, while Ivybridge are now in Regional Two South West after their relegation last season.
But both clubs are expecting a highly-competitive match this weekend, having enjoyed a good battle in pre-season at the Rectory.
“We know they (Ivybridge) will be up for it,” said Devonport Services head coach Ben Russell. “It’s a local derby and they have started well in the league.”
Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson said: “Everyone is looking forward to it, and we’ll just see what happens.
“We want to go as far as we can in the cups.”
Both sides have made good starts to their seasons in their respective divisions.
Services have a 100 per cent record from their opening three games at level five, with bonus-point victories over Sidmouth, Royal Wootton Bassett and St Austell, while Ivybridge have 12 points from a maximum of 15 at level six and are still unbeaten at home.
Ivybridge name a familiar looking line-up for the game, although there are starts for Charlie Moody at scrum-half, Owen Williams at flanker and Michael Jenson at hooker, and Giles Clarke returns after missing the last couple of games.
Services, whose second team match against Cullompton II has been called off, do make eight changes to their team that beat St Austell 41-17 last weekend.
“We have got a few niggles that have built up in the first three games so there are a few boys being rested,” said head coach Russell.
“We are also giving a few lads chances who have gone well with the twos.
“But we have got a strong team out, there’s just a few boys chopping and changing.”
Win or lose, both teams will still face another game, as the winners will progress to the cup semi-final, while the losers will go into the shield competition.
Services have won the cup the last two times they have played in it – 2024 and 2023 – while Ivybridge won it in 2018.
In the Devon Intermediate Cup quarter-finals, Western West outfit Plymstock Oaks face a tough trip to Regional Two South West side Teignmouth.
Teignmouth have started their season well, claiming home wins over North Petherton and Cullompton and picking up two bonus points in a narrow 31-26 defeat at Ivybridge last weekend.
“They ran Ivybridge close last week,” said Oaks coach Mike Lewis.
“I have spoken to a couple of the Ivybridge lads and it sounds like they are a tidy old outfit.
“But we don’t really know what to expect, a bit like Truro last week, we are going in a bit blind.
“We just have to do our own thing.”
Oaks are again missing a lot of players for their second cup match in a row, but Lewis said: “We have a reasonable side out.”
In the Devon Junior Cup, Counties Two Devon outfit OPMs are set to make the trip to lower league Salcombe.
The sides have had some good battles over the years, but in the last few seasons have been in different divisions.
OPMs have got one win and one defeat from their opening two matches in Counties Two Devon, while Salcombe have the same record in Counties Three Devon South & West, although they were beaten 79-0 by Plymouth Argaum in their last league game.
Argaum should have also been playing in the Devon Junior Cup this weekend. They had been due to play higher league Honiton at Bickleigh Down, but, due to availability issues, they have had the walkover to their east Devon opponents.
Tavistock should have been playing lower league Tamar Saracens in the Plymouth Combination Lockie Cup, but that is another match that has fallen by the wayside. Tavistock have been trying to find a replacement fixture.