DEVONPORT Services bounced back from their heavy defeat at Brixham last weekend by running in eight tries to overcome Chew Valley 46-21 at the Rectory on Saturday in Regional One South West.
The home team were particularly clinical in the opening 40 minutes where they scored six tries, three inside the opening 14 minutes.
Fit-again Harrison Coonick, making his first appearance for more than a year, took no time whatsoever to show what Services had been missing over the past 12 months with a stunning try after just 80 seconds, where he ran around half of the Chew team.
He was a constant threat the whole game, while forward Matt Gregory was also another player who was a real thorn in Chew’s side with a host of powerful runs – three of which resulted directly in tries.
“It was much better,” said Services head coach Ben Russell afterwards on his side’s performance. “We moved the ball well and had the right attitude from the start.
“There were times in the game when we let things slip, but, if you look at the complete performance, I was really happy compared to last week.”
Russell was a little frustrated that his team could not quite find the same attacking edge in the second period, although they still did score two tries.
“We defended really well in that half, but we started trying to play sevens and stuff and that’s not us,” said Russell. “So, there was a little bit of frustration, but it happens.”
The Services chief admitted it was good to have Coonick back and for him to score so early in the game.
“If you get him in space, he is brilliant as he just attacks,” said Russell. “It was nice to see that in our very first play of the game we got it wide and created loads of beautiful lines and created space and he’s just gone and done that.”
Russell also had praise for forward Gregory, who even ended up filling in at centre at the end of the game.
“For what Gregs is still doing at his age and after 300 and whatever caps, is just brilliant,” said Russell. “He is a leader, and he really leads from the front.”
Services could not have asked for a better start to the game as they responded to the previous week’s 59-10 defeat at Brixham.
They took just over a minute to take the lead with a stunning try by Coonick with his first touch of the ball in first team rugby for more than a year. He picked it up in his own half and just avoided tackle after tackle in the middle of the field before showing his speed to score under the posts for an easy conversion for Sam Brown.
It looked like Coonick had scored a second try eight minutes later with a strong run down the left wing, but Chew scrum-half Will Knight just managed to knock the ball out of his grasp as he went over in the corner.
But Services did add a second a minute later when Gregory produced a powerful run through the middle of Chew’s defence. It looked like he was going to score, but he was just tackled a metre away, however, he was able to pop the ball up for Tom Davies to cross the whitewash and make it 14-0.
That became 21-0 by the 14th minute. After Chew winger Harry Stride had been yellow carded for a foul tackle from the restart, Services went for a line-out. From the set play they produced a well-worked move with Gregory bursting through before Sam Brown and Tom Davies linked up, with the former running in for a try that he also converted.
But Chew did hit back with two tries in five minutes, with debutant number eight Archie Pewett and scrum-half Knight scoring.
However, Devonport found another gear again to pull totally away with three more tries.
Mike Rickard went over from a catch-and-drive move in the 25th minute and straight from the restart the home side added another. They got a penalty and went for a line-out and repeated the move they had produced for the second try, with Gregory staying out of the line-out and bursting through, only this time Bertie Fordham was the man in support to score.
Five minutes before the break, hooker Aiden Taylor added his customary try from a catch-and-drive move to make it 36-14.
The home team nearly added a seventh in first-half injury-time when Brown intercepted a Chew pass, but the visitors did well to get back and stop him.
The first 20 minutes of the second half was stop-start and not memorable.
But in the 66th minute, visiting hooker Jack Monk did score from close range after Chew had been held up over the line just a couple of minutes earlier.
That try did seem to kick-start Services again and Charlie Groves scored their seventh try after Coonick put him in, and then Tom Davies scored on the left after linking up with Coonick.
After five games of the season, Services sit in third place, four points behind leaders Topsham, who are the only team still unbeaten. Exmouth moved up to fourth by beating Brixham 43-12.
REGIONAL TWO SOUTH WEST
IVYBRIDGE had to make do with just a losing bonus point as they were narrowly beaten 27-23 away at Tiverton.
The Bridgers were 23-20 up going into the closing stages, but a late converted try by Mikey Owen won the match for the hosts.
It was a nip-and-tuck game, but for most the contest Ivybridge were in front.
Jamie Campbell had put them ahead with a try, which Harry Newman-Wild converted.
Tiverton hit back with a converted try of their own and then added a penalty to go 10-7 up.
However, Newman-Wild quickly responded with a penalty of his own and then Charlie Teague scored a try to make it 15-10 for Ivybridge.
Tiverton did kick another penalty to narrow the gap slightly, but the visitors then went 23-13 in front with a touch-down and a penalty from Newman-Wild.
Tiverton, though, finished strongly and scored two converted tries to claim the victory.
Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson said: “Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the scoreline.
“It was a bit of a scrappy game in the end, few punches thrown and the ruck was just a mess.
“I felt sorry for the ref they made it a nightmare for us and him.
“We will be looking at the footage back for a few things as from what I saw on the sideline there was a few things missed off the ball.
“But I was really proud of the way our lads kept their composure the whole game.
“There was lots of chatter from the sidelines and their coaches’ box, but that was to be expected as we’re a young side and they will have wanted to get in our heads.
“I thought we were in control of it the whole of the first half and then most of the second half.
“We went up by 10 points but just couldn’t keep the ball in their half and they came back.
“Fair play to them, they’re an experienced side and, at the moment, 60 per cent of our lads are learning the ins and outs of men’s rugby.
“But I was really happy with coming away with a bonus point which we’ve said from the start we want to do when we come away.
“We will fight for every point available to us on away days and try and win all our home games.”
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
FOR the third time this season, Saltash suffered late agony as they were just edged out 36-35 at home by new leaders Wiveliscombe.
The Ashes, playing for the first time this season on their re-developed Moorlands Lane pitch, had the chance to win the game in the dying seconds with a last-gasp penalty attempt, but it just went wide and the home team had to settle for just two bonus points.
Newly-promoted Saltash have picked up bonus points in every single game and have had chance to win all their matches.
On the opening day, they were beaten 20-15 by a last-gasp try deep in injury-time at Newton Abbot and last week they were just edged out 27-22 at Kingsbridge.
Their only win so far has been a 36-25 victory over St Ives. However, they will be hoping they can soon start turning these narrow defeats into victories, especially when they get some players back.
On Saturday they were missing key wingers Will Morton and James Moriarty and were also without the likes of Phil Eatwell, Todd Crofts, Danny Snook, Tom Hoban, Ryan Rayner, and Devon Bennett-Murray.
Wiveliscombe started strongly and went ahead after just four minutes with a converted try.
Saltash, who gained promotion last season and are still trying to adjust to the pace and intensity of the league, gradually worked their way back into the game and were rewarded when hooker Rob Walsh forced himself over the line after 17 minutes, but the conversion hit the post.
Slick movement and handling by Wiveliscombe led to a try on 26 minutes and a further one soon followed when scrum-half Rich Baker burst through the Ashes defence to get the touch down which was converted to make it 19-5.
But Saltash hit back and full-back Ryan Cruickshanks finished a good period of pressure with a try in the corner and the conversion by Jack Pritchard from the touchline was successful.
Saltash changed ends 19-12 down.
However, the second half saw the Ashes soon on level terms with a Fin Jones try and a conversion by Pritchard.
But Wiveliscombe responded again to go 24-19 ahead.
Saltash then began a sustained period of attack as they gained some control of the game and three quick penalties by Pritchard eased them ahead with only 10 minutes to go.
The visitors, though, went one point in front with a try by Will Ruell and a Will Thorn conversion.
The game continued to be closely contested until a try by Dan Rottenbury in the 76th minutes, plus the added points, extended the visitor’s advantage to eight points.
Yet Saltash refused to give up without a fight and a quick move ended with Cruickshanks going over the Wiveliscombe line in the corner for Pritchard to close the lead to one point with an excellent kick.
In a thrilling finish, the Ashes could have snatched victory from a very late penalty, but it just drifted wide of the post.
There was also more disappointment for Plymstock Oaks, who went down 33-12 at Truro.
It was their second visit to St Clement’s Hill in three weeks, having also lost there in the RFU Community Cup.
Truro did got 19-0 up after 27 minutes, but Oaks did close the gap to 19-12 at the break with two tries by young centre Charlie Watson, one of which was converted by Lewis Paterson.
Two tries by the home team early in the second half pulled them away again and, although Oaks had a lot of possession in the final quarter of the match, they were unable to return with anything from Cornwall.
“The best bit about it was that we were better than last week,” said coach Mike Lewis. “There was a lot more heart and determination.
“I do say it every week, but we have got quite a young side out and because they are young there are some moments in games when we should do one thing but end up doing something completely different, that’s because of the perception of the game they have got at the minute.
“It is going to take a few more weeks of learning for these young players to find the ropes. They are just straight out of colts and the things you can get away with at under-18s rugby, you can’t get away with against a team who were in the league above last year.
“But it is promising. We played some brilliant rugby at times. Could we have kicked it a little bit more? Yeah, we could have but we played a lot of rugby.
“They (Truro) were just a bit better than us on the day, but had we just made a few better decisions then we could have probably edged it.”
COUNTIES TWO DEVON
DEVONPORT Services II showed a real clinical edge to beat city rivals OPMs 72-7 at Stonehouse Creek on Saturday.
Services II’s unbeaten start to the season had been ended the previous week when they narrowly went down 34-31 at Honiton.
They had a point to prove after that defeat and they definitely took it out on OPMs.
The Old Boys actually had quite a lot of possession and territory, but every time they lost the ball, Services II would counterattack and score.
Backs Charlie Over and Billy Sutton scored to put them 12-0 up before Darren Ewers pulled one back for OPMs to make it 12-7.
But after that Services II ran in tries at regular intervals.
Scrum-half Sutton bagged an early hat-trick before Dylan Harbour, Freddy Dover, Luke Stannard, Over, Josh Martin and James Spencer added further tries.
Services head coach Ben Russell said: “I had a chat with them on Thursday about what I expect from them if they want to be playing ones rugby.
“For this club to go where we want it to go, we have to have not just 24, 25 or 26 boys putting it in every week; it has to be everyone.
“And it was so much better and they played some really good rugby, from what I saw.”
A disappointed OPMs head coach James Digweed said: “We would do all the hard work and pin them down, but then there would be a fumble or whatever and then we would stand and watch them run the length of the pitch.
“It was like we were shocked what we had done hadn’t come off. It was painful to watch.”
He added: “There were positives to take from our attacking structure, but we were really lacklustre in defence – there was a lot of softness and missed tackles. It was disappointing.
“And they (Services) are so well-drilled and their support was really good. Every time we did make a tackle, they had someone on their shoulder. They did have a point to prove.”
OPMs, though, have strengthened their squad by signing Jack Mitchell and Dan Bristow from Ivybridge.
Tavistock failed to pick up any points for the first time this season as they were beaten 40-20 at home by the league’s top scorers Exeter Saracens.
Tavistock did score three tries courtesy of Toby Teague, league debutant Myles Costello and centre Jordan Taylor, but they just couldn’t get a fourth.
“We started the game off strongly and went three points ahead with a penalty and we looked the better team,” said Taylor.
“But we had a few early injuries and then we got a yellow card and they put a few past us.
“Yet we came back at them for the rest of the half and stuck to it. Early in the second half it looked promising, but unfortunately they got another try.
“However, the team stayed in high spirits, and we worked like dogs to get back at them. We looked to be on the front foot, but unfortunately we got another yellow card, and they ran away with it at the end.
“But by all means, I think the boys came away with their heads held high, but with the understanding that there are things to learn and progress through the season.
“I think it is very positive looking forward. We are a new team. When you look at the team sheet there are not that many caps there. We have got a great new coach and he’s really changing the side for the better.”
Head coach Leigh Puttock added: “As far as I’m concerned, we have to own this loss, the same way we do our wins.
“Exeter Saracens were better than us in the key moments that mattered most, but by no means did we put in a bad performance.
“We played some really good rugby in periods of the game and definitely left some points out there.
“That said, I’m no less proud of this group. They’re an incredibly honest and hard-working bunch, who continue to develop every week.”
Ivybridge II find themselves adrift at the bottom of the table after they handed South Molton an away walkover due to injuries, unavailabilities and covid in the squad.
COUNTIES THREE
TAMAR Saracens secured their first win of the season as they comprehensively beat struggling Kingsbridge II 59-0 away in Devon South & West.
Sarries had not played since September 13, due to the cup breaks and a blank weekend, but they appeared to have used that time wisely to strengthen their squad and work on their game.
Experienced players Frazer Tatchell and Adam Coutts were back in the squad for them, but it was number eight Ratu Racaca who stole the show at High House with four tries.
There was also two for fly-half Jacob Blasdale, while captain Adam Corbett, Tatchell and Rikki Lennon were also on the try sheet. Lew Swatton added seven conversions.
Corbett said: “It was very good. We had a very strong squad out this week.
“It was nice for the lads to be back and get a game under our belts.
“It was a bit of a poor start (to the season), but we have had people training and it’s been nice and consistent.”
Old Techs made it two wins out of two with a 54-12 victory over city rivals Plympton Victoria at Weston Mill.
Ollie Davey was a thorn in Plym Vic’s side with his strong runs and he bagged a hat-trick of tries.
There were also touch-downs for Sam Matts, Josh O’Hare, Lewis Harvey, Dale Thompson and Billy Evans. Matts kicked seven out of eight conversions, just missing the final one.
Louis Ellison and Pete Shinner scored tries for Plym Vic, with Chris Barratt adding a conversion.
Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt said: “The score would have looked better had we made some better decisions. We did score a couple of tries, which was nice, but we would have bagged a couple more if our form was a little better and our decision-making was just a winzey bit better.
“It wouldn’t have altered the overall outcome, but we would have acquitted ourselves a bit better if we had sharpened up some of our plays. But that is what practice is about and working at it.”
Plymouth Argaum’s home match against Totnes had to be postponed as there was no referee available. The clubs were told the news late on Friday evening.
Plymstock Oaks II were without a game in that division, while in Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II were beaten 68-27 by Camborne School of Mines.
In a club match, Devonport Services III beat OPM Jesters 77-0 at King George V Playing Fields.
Pictures from Devonport Services v Chew Valley
Pictures from Devonport Services II v OPMs
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