DEVONPORT Services face their biggest game of the season so far on Saturday with a trip to Devon rivals Brixham (2.15pm).

Services are the only team in the league to have picked up a maximum 15 points from their opening three games.

But they know Brixham, who were much fancied as title contenders before the season started, will be determined to prove a point after surprisingly losing two of their opening three league games.

“They haven’t had the start they wanted, so this is a big one for them,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.

“They will be up for it, and they will have a big crowd there.

“It (Astley Park) is actually one of my favourite stadiums to go to as they do always get a really good crowd and they get behind them when they are winning.”

He added: “We have got a tough run of games now and we have to build into them. We start with Brixham, then we have Chew at home, and Lydney, Exmouth and Topsham coming up.

“We want to win, but we also want to put in a good performance. If you put a performance in and lose it doesn’t hurt quite so much.”

Services are without former Brixham prop James McFarlane, who tore his calf muscle in last week’s Devon Senior Cup match against Ivybridge.

Fellow prop Rikki Bentham is also still unavailable, so Tyler Busfield comes back into the starting line-up at tight-head, with Yanni Costas coming on to the bench.

Devonport are also without centres Shaun Crawford, Dan Lilley and Tom Richards this weekend. That means Tom Davies and Billy Orchard will move into the 12 and 13 roles and young Royal Navy U23 player Charlie Over will make his debut on the wing.

Richard West is set to revert back to scrum-half, with Sam Brown lining up at 10 and Toby Knowles and Henry Gliddon filling the other backline starting spots.

Mark Friend and Luke Stannard are set to be named on the bench.

REGIONAL TWO SOUTH WEST

IVYBRIDGE also have a Devon derby to look forward to on Saturday when they host Okehampton at Cross-in-Hand.

Both clubs have made encouraging starts to the season with two wins out of three.

Ivybridge sit third with 12 points out of a maximum of 15 and Okehampton are sixth with 10 points.

The teams have enjoyed some good battles over the years, but Ivybridge did win the last league meeting at Cross-in-Hand 37-23 in January 2024.

“We are looking forward to it,” said Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson. “It should be a good contest.

“They will be well-structured and will want to run it. We will prepare for that.”

It will be Ivybridge’s third home game in a row after matches against Teignmouth in the league and Devonport Services in the Devon Cup.

The Bridgers are unbeaten at home in the league, but they did lose to higher league Services last Saturday.

“I said we wanted to do well in the cup, but it is the league we are really focussed on,” said Atkinson. “And we’d like to keep our home league record.

“We are really looking forward to the game.”

Scrum-half James Cantin returns to Ivybridge’s starting line-up on Saturday, while Owen Williams moves to hooker from the back-row, with Alex Garner coming into the pack.

Centre Angus Harris is also back and goes straight into the team, with Charlie Teague moving to full-back.

COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST

PLYMSTOCK Oaks are looking forward to a home game again this Saturday after three weeks on the road.

Oaks entertain Redruth II at Horsham Fields after tough trips to Barnstaple II in the league, Truro in the RFU Cup and Teignmouth in the Devon Intermediate Cup.

“It is always nice to play at home,” said head coach Lewis Paterson. “There is that different vibe when you are at home. There is always an advantage with your own crowd.

“With local rugby you also tend to have a few more available when you are at home.

“Ours twos are also playing Old Techs, which isn’t far away, so hopefully we can get two good sides out.”

Oaks have been missing a number of key players in recent weeks, but a few are close to returning.

However, Paterson admits the youngsters who beat higher league Teignmouth last week have given them a selection headache.

“We have got players back, but the boys that played away at Teignmouth did really well. We want to try and keep some of that momentum and development.

“When you have two games – one at home and the other also local – it does give you a selection headache, which is quite nice.”

Redruth II are second in the league, but they are one of 10 clubs, including Oaks, who have one win and one defeat from their opening two games.

Just four points separate bottom from second in a league that looks like it is going to be very open.

Last season Oaks comfortably beat Redruth II at home but lost down in Cornwall.

“Redruth have a long history, they are a good club,” said Paterson. “They have always been a good Cornish team who produce good homegrown talent. They will have some good second team players. It will come down to how well they travel.”

Also in Western West, Saltash are on their travels as they visit the South Hams to take on Kingsbridge at High House.

The teams should have met just two weeks ago in the RFU Cup, but Kingsbridge pulled out of visiting Chapel Field that day due to availability issues.

However, Kingsbridge, now coached by former Tavistock boss Joel Caddy, are well known for being strong at home. They beat Truro 29-19 at High House in their opening match before losing 41-12 away at Penryn.

Saltash also have one win and one defeat to their name. They agonisingly lost their opening match away at Newton Abbot 20-15 after the hosts scored an injury-time winner, but they responded with a 36-25 home win over St Ives.

The Ashes are still missing a host of players, including Lewis Wells, James Moriarty, Ryan Rayner, Danny Snook, Greg Eatwell and Devon Bennett-Murray, but they are boosted by the return of Billy Dover and Rob Walsh, who has returned from Devonport Services.

Walsh will start on the bench, with Fin Jones given the chance to start again at hooker.

The Ashes will also hand first team debuts to Jake Gamble and Pete Britland.

Gamble will start on the wing, while Britland is named on the bench.

COUNTIES TWO DEVON

OPMs are hoping for a big crowd at King George V Playing Fields for their match with South Molton.

It is the club’s VPs Day on Saturday and they are hosting a double-header with their second team playing University of Plymouth Freshers. The second team fixture will kick-off at 1.30pm, with the first team game at 3pm.

“We are really excited about it, to be fair,” said OPMs head coach James Digweed.

“We have got 18 selected for the first team and about 32 available for our twos, who are playing Plymouth Uni freshers.”

OPMs and South Molton both have one win and one defeat from their opening two games.

OPMs beat Crediton II in their opening match before losing at Bideford, while South Molton lost away at Exeter Saracens but beat Honiton at home.

South Molton did surprise OPMs at King George V Playing Fields last season, winning 37-24, which kick-started a good run for the north Devon side.

“They came to us last year and beat us in the last 20 minutes,” said Digweek. “I think we were ahead most of the game, but they stole the win at the end, so we are hoping to put things right this weekend.

“I know one of their coaches as I went to university with him and he said they are looking pretty sharp this year.

“We know they will be a well-drilled side, so we are not taking anything for granted.”

OPMs have signed former Plymouth Albion player and ex-Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor and he is set to feature on Saturday.

“We have got Davy McGregor making his debut this week,” said Digweed. “He is on the bench and we are quite excited about that.”

“I think he’s retired from the front-row, but will probably come off the bench and go into the back-row for us.

“At training the last few weeks, he’s been really valuable and has brought a bit more aggression to the training, which has been quite good.”

Tavistock are also at home this weekend when they host Withycombe at Sandy Park.

Like many teams, both clubs have one win and one defeat to their name from their opening two games.

Withycombe beat Dartmouth 36-20 away but then lost 54-10 at home to Topsham II, while Tavistock opened with a narrow 26-20 home defeat to Devonport Services II before beating Dartmouth 28-14 away.

Saturday will be Tavistock’s first match since beating Dartmouth on September 13.

“It does seem ages since we played,” admitted head coach Leigh Puttock. “I don’t think the break was healthy for anyone. Everyone has probably lost a bit of momentum.

“A lot of teams seem to be prioritising the league therefore you have two weeks where you can’t get a fixture.

“But we have got good side going out this week and it’s all positive.

“It should be a good game. I haven’t seen them before, but the guys all know that they are strong up front. We know we are in for a battle and are expecting wind and rain, which probably doesn’t suit Tavistock anymore.”

He added: “We have got probably two or three players still to come back, but everyone else is fit and raring to go.

“Over the last two weeks things have been clicking on the training field, it’s just a case of hoping they can take it on into match day.”

Unbeaten Devonport Services II have a big match this weekend as they visit Honiton.

The east Devon side pipped Services II for second last season, but they are still waiting for their first win this term after losing to Bideford and Honiton.

“It is a big game for the twos at Honiton,” said Services head coach Ben Russell. “But we have a lot of boys missing in the two this week.”

Ivybridge II, who are still waiting for their first win since returning to the league, have a tough home game against unbeaten Bideford, who have come down from Western West.

The Bridgers are once again set to name a young side, but they have named former experienced winger Tom Scoles among their replacements.

COUNTIES THREE DEVON SOUTH & WEST

THE match of the day in Counties Three Devon South & West is probably at Astley Park where Brixham II host Plymouth Argaum (4pm).

The fixture between the two unbeaten sides will be played immediately after Brixham’s first team take on Devonport Services.

“It’s nice that we are playing after Brixham and Devonport Services as it will be a good opportunity for some of the guys to play on a nice pitch and decent ground,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery. “Hopefully, people will stay behind at watch. They should be good opposition.

“Brixham are going well and they have got a good young set-up. They finished second in the league last year, just missing out on promotion, and I think they are really keen on going up.

“We are expecting a tough game. It is an hour up the road so we are struggling a bit with availability, but we have got a 4pm kick-off so that helps a bit and we got have 20-odd available.”

He added: “It looks like Brixham could be the team to beat, so we need to be focused. These games can be crucial. Absolutely we want to win.”

Avery is not stranger to Astley Park.

“I have got a lot of history with Brixham,” he said. “I was forwards coach there for a while and was also captain. I think I played there for about eight or nine seasons. It will be nice to go back.”

Having started his career as a junior at Devonport Services, Avery will have one eye on the Regional One South West match taking place before his team’s game.

Argaum are missing their Fijian players, who are away on army training, but they are set to welcome back Chris Perkins, Rory McCarthy and Will Lloyd.

There is also a big game at Weston Mill where Old Techs host city rivals Plymstock Oaks II.

Techs, who finished third last season, have not had the start to the season they would have liked with narrow defeats to Paignton II and Torquay Athletic II.

“We’ve had two losses, but they were both games we could have won,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.

“At the moment we are just going through a patch of having a lot of experienced players injured, but it is now a chance for some of the younger and less experienced players to show what they can do.

“I think this weekend we will have five players under-25 – two of whom are just 20.

“They are not experienced, but they will only get experienced by playing.”

Jenson Baker, Ben Hockey and Johnny Young are among those on the sidelines, while Billy Evans and Rudi Baker are also major doubts.

But Royal Navy U23 hooker Brandon Chaston could get a chance this weekend. He signed for the club last season, but only played once due to work commitments.

“I think Oaks have had a lot of colts come through,” said Bedford-Smith. “So they probably will be a lot different to when we played them last season and in the Ellis Cup.”

Oaks, who lost heavily to Torquay Athletic away in their opening game, beat Tamar Saracens in their last outing and they could be boosted by the return of a number of players from injury.

“Old Techs are a well-established Plymouth team,” said Oaks head coach Lewis Paterson. “They will be physical and will be up for it. There is a bit of rivalry between Old Techs and Plymstock IIs, and that’s what you want. You want games boys are excited about and hungry for.”

Also in the division, Plympton Victoria, who are still looking for their first win, face a tough trip to unbeaten Torquay Athletic.

The match should have been played at St Mary’s Field, but Plym Vic are still not able to host home matches due to the lack of water at the council venue.

“We’ve had to reverse the fixture,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt. “The council are taking time to get it fixed. There are three sports clubs who use it regularly and none are able to play home fixtures.

“All away games are tough – well all games in this league are tough – but we’ve got to get on with it.

“We are a bit short this weekend, but we’ve got a team and it’s a chance for new lads to get more experience.”

Tamar Saracens are without a fixture this weekend.