DEVONPORT Services head coach Ben Russell has told his team to play to their strengths as they attempt to avoid a banana skin at home to Matson on Saturday in Regional One South West.
Second-placed Services will be big favourites to pick up a sixth win in seven games at home to the Gloucestershire side, who sit in 10th spot.
But Matson, who have former Plymouth Albion and Worcester prop George Porter playing for them, have beaten Chew Valley and Marlborough and only lost by one score to Sidmouth last weekend.
“They got beaten quite convincingly in their first game away at Brixham, but they have gone to Chew and beaten them,” said Russell.
“The thing about Matson is they always bring a bit of hardness and toughness. They will have a big scrum and a big forward pack.
“It will be about us trying to play to our strengths.
“We haven’t got a small pack – we’ve got a good pack – but it is about not getting into a war of attrition. We just have to play to how we play. We just have to move the ball and play in space.”
Russell knows his team cannot underestimate their visitors.
“In my first year with Services, we lost to the likes of Old Centralians away and Okehampton at home, we just didn’t beat the teams we should have beaten as we weren’t focussed and didn’t have the right mind-set,” he said. “But the lads understand that now.
“It is pretty much the same group of lads with a few editions and we know that we have to be on it every weekend.”
Services are without a specialist hooker this weekend as Aiden Taylor is away and James McFarlane, who is normally the back-up on matchday, is out injured.
With prop Rikki Bentham also out, it means Services’ front-row is likely to be Oli Symons, Yianni Costas and Tyler Busfield, with fit-again Liam Jarvis offering hooker cover.
However, Services are boosted by the return of winger Harrison Coonick, who missed last week’s trip to Lydney, but Charlie Groves is unavailable.
REGIONAL TWO SOUTH WEST
THIRD-placed Ivybridge make the trip to Menneye Field on Saturday to take on Penzance-Newlyn in Regional Two South West.
The Cornish team, which were previously known as the Pirates Amateurs, have come up into the league this year from Western West, while Ivybridge came down from level five.
It will be the first time the clubs have met.
“I think we have quite a few supporters coming down for it,” said Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson.
“We are really looking forward to it. I don’t think we have ever been there. I have definitely not coached down there.”
Penzance-Newlyn do have a mixture of youngsters and experienced heads, like Rhodri McAtee.
The Cornish club have only won two games so far this season – both 50-odd point wins over Cullompton and Wellington – but they did come close to beating North Petherton away last week, just losing 34-32.
Ivybridge have won four of their opening six games. Their only defeats have been one score losses away at Tiverton and North Petherton.
Ivybridge do have to make changes to their side that beat Crediton 46-26 last weekend.
Wingers Jamie Campbell and George Vertessy are missing, as are forwards Seb Musgrave and Tom Hancocks.
James Cantin will move from scrum-half to the wing, with Charlie Moody coming in at nine, while Owen Alp comes on to the other wing.
Dan Gloyns and Matt Skeemer come into the pack, while there is a chance on the bench for Louie Ward and Tean Cross, who played for the second team last week.
CUP COMPETITIONS
SALTASH will make the trip down to Cornish league rivals Penryn on Saturday in the second round of the RFU Community Cup Counties One South Plate competition.
The sides have yet to play each other in the league. That meeting will not come until December 20, but this weekend is a chance for both clubs to try and use the cup to build up some momentum.
Both clubs have only won one league game so far this season, but newly-promoted Saltash have finished within a score of their opponents in all their defeats.
Penryn, whose one league win came at home against Kingsbridge, have also had some close games, including losing by just three points to Paignton.
The clubs have not met in a competitive RFU match for six years.
Saltash do make a number of changes for the game. There is a debut for Tom Knight at full-back, while Laurie Thompson also comes into the backline. James Moriarty will make his first start since fracturing his leg in the first game of the season.
In the pack, there is a start for Jacob Harvey at lock, while Axel Hicks will play prop in the absence of Liall Honey.
Meanwhile, Saltash forwards Charlie Knight and Rob Walsh have both been named in the Cornwall President’s XV to take on the Royal Navy U23s on Wednesday at St Austell.
OPMs should have been hosting fellow Devon Withycombe side in the second round of the RFU’s Counties Two South Plate competition, but their league rivals have handed them a home walkover.
In the Counties Three & Below Championship, Old Techs and Plymouth Argaum are set to clash at Weston Mill, with the chance to play at Twickenham still in the sights for both clubs.
“It is the national cup, but we have ended up playing a local team,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.
“But I don’t think we have played Argaum in a competitive game for three seasons and at least it is a home fixture.
“It does not matter who you play, you still want to win, and it is a nice break from the league.”
Both clubs are going into this weekend’s cup match on the back of frustrating league defeats.
Techs went down 25-17 away at Salcombe, while Argaum were beaten 28-7 at Tamar Saracens.
Argaum did have a lot of regular players missing.
“At this level, you never know what you are going to get,” said Bedford-Smith. “One week, a team can be really strong and another week they might be week.
“It can be frustrating with the amount of changes you have to make it week, but you just have to almost accept it at this level.”
Josh O’Hare, Ben Wheatley and Joe Bailey could be back for Techs, but Jonny Young and Jenson Baker are likely to be missing.
In the same RFU competition, Tamar Saracens are due to host unbeaten Somerset South leaders Wells at the Parkway.
Wells have won all six of their league games so far this season and overcame Blandford 49-0 in the first round of the cup.
Sarries, though, will have been boosted by their performance and result against Argaum last weekend.
“Hopefully, we are just going to push on now,” said captain Adam Corbett after last week’s win.
In the Plymouth Combination cups, Devonport Services II are due to host the University of Plymouth II at Stonehouse Creek in the Lockie Cup, while Tavistock II are set to entertain Plymstock Oaks II in the Ellis Trophy.