DEVONPORT Services take on their nearest neighbours in Regional One South West on Saturday when they host Launceston at the Rectory.

The clubs have enjoyed some good battles in recent years, with both winning three of the last six meetings since 2018.

League leaders Services have won the last two clashes, but not easily and they expect another tough match with the Cornish All Blacks this Saturday.

Launceston might sit in eighth spot with just three wins to their name, but they have beaten Brixham and finished within just a score of Lydney and Chew Valley in their last three matches. They have also strengthened their squad in the past couple of weeks with the re-signing of George Hillson and Torin Clarke from Plymouth Albion.

“Launceston is basically our local derby now,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.

“They’ve had a bit of a boost with a Torin Clarke and George Hillson coming back to them from Albion.

“I don’t know what happened but last week they were 17-0 up against Lydney but lost 20-17.

“But they always get up to play us. It is quite a nice rivalry.

“They will have a couple of set game-plans to try and beat us, but we just have to try and play how we can play.”

Services have only lost one game this season, but they needed a last-gasp try and conversion last weekend to secure a 31-31 draw with second-placed Topsham, who were 31-10 up at one point.

“We have got away with a couple of games this year – Lydney away and last weekend when we were 31-10 down at Topsham and getting a draw and three points,” said Russell.

“We were lucky and we know we can’t play like those games, but we managed to get a win and a draw in them.”

Services were missing Richard West, Tom Davies, Sam Brown, Jesse Lowe, Toby Knowles, Henry Gliddon, George Pooley, James Hocking, Rikki Bentham and Yianni Costas last week.

However, it is expected that Brown, West and Lilley will be back and available this weekend, but former Launceston player Shaun Crawford is missing, while Mike Rickard is also a doubt.

“Sam Brown, Dan Lilley and Richard West should be back,” said Russell.

“They are three quality players. They have been good all year. Every time they have played, they have all been brilliant.

“But we have a few last-minute calls across both teams.

REGIONAL TWO SOUTH WEST

IVYBRIDGE will be putting their 100 per cent home record on the line on Saturday when they host Cornish side Wadebridge at Cross-in-Hand.

A competitive clash is expected with the teams sitting fifth and sixth in the table and separated by just three points.

Ivybridge will know a win will see them overtake their opponents in the table, but they know it will not be easy against a side who have won six of their nine matches so far.

“We don’t really know much about them,” admitted Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson. “We have heard bits from some people.

“It is a bit of a cliché, but most Cornish teams are pretty good up front and so we have prepared for that, but with our pitch we are not going to be changing too much of our game-plan.

“We’ll see how we get on.”

Ivybridge are able to welcome back prop Will Johnson, back-rower Marcus Prout and experienced winger Tom Scoles, while Mike Jensen and Matt Skeemer are also available again and will start on the bench.

COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST

PLYMSTOCK Oaks will be looking to bounce back from their 46-12 home defeat to St Ives last weekend when they head to Kingsbridge on Saturday.

Both Kingsbridge and Oaks have 16 points and three wins to their name from their opening seven matches and sit eighth and ninth in a tight division.

“Away at their place on their pitch is always difficult,” said Oaks coach Mike Lewis ahead of this weekend’s trip to Kingsbridge. “I have never gone up there and it has been an easy affair.”

Oaks are hoping to have a number of players back for this weekend, including in-form scrum-half Harry Toghill.

“We have plenty available this weekend for our two games,” said Oaks.

“Last week was a bit of a weird one. Our preparation wasn’t the best. Lewis Paterson went down in the warm-up and had to go and get treatment so missed the first 20 minutes. Stuart Kirkwood tweaked his calf in the warm-up but had to play 80 minutes as Robbie Hall got knocked out. So, we had to switch it around at times.

“We just have to try and sweep it under the rug as best we can.

“We missed a fair few tackles and they have some and they have a few strong ball carriers. We should have done better, but we just were not on it on the day.

“We are going to be a lot stronger with our squad, but last week even with the squad we put out we should have done really well.

“Our mind-set and preparation just wasn’t quite right last week, but hopefully it will be this week.”

In the same division, Saltash will be looking for a much-needed home win when they host fifth-placed Barnstaple II at Moorlands Lane.

The Ashes currently sit at the foot of the table, but they know a win could lift them into mid-table, with just five points separating the bottom seven sides in a tight 12-team division.

Saltash have picked up points in every match this term and have lost five out of six games by just one single score and in the other match they were winning with 80 minutes on the clock.

They will know that they just need a bit of luck and the bounce of the ball to go with them to turn narrow defeats into wins.

Barnstaple II are particularly strong at home, but their away form has been a bit mixed. Their only away win came at Newton Abbot, but they pick up a draw at Truro.

COUNTIES TWO DEVON

LEADERS Devonport Services II face a big match in Counties Two Devon on Saturday when they host third-placed Bideford at Keyham.

Both clubs have only lost one match so far this season, with Services II just three points ahead of Bideford, who were relegated from Western West last term.

“Bideford at home is a big one,” said Services head coach Ben Russell. “We can’t really afford to lose, especially at home, as it is really tight at level eight.”

OPMs will be hoping to repeat the performance they showed against Exeter Saracens last weekend when they visit Honiton on Saturday.

The Old Boys caused a bit of a surprise last week by beating high-flying Exeter Saracens 42-26 at home.

Last season’s runners-up Honiton have made a slow start to this year’s campaign and sit in seventh spot, winning just half their matches so far.

But they have beaten Tavistock and Services II in their last two home games so OPMs will know it will not be easy to pick up points at Allhallows.

However, they did earn a draw there last season and will head there in confident mood after their display against Sarries.

“It is definitely achievable to get five points away, especially after last week’s performance,” said OPMs head coach James Digweed. “We are feeling confident.”

Ivybridge II will be looking for a third straight league win when they make the trip to Exeter Saracens.

The Bridgers’ second string have moved off the foot of the table after victories over Tavistock and Dartmouth.

But Exeter Saracens away will be a different proposition. Sarries have so far won all their home matches.

“We have got a full side and a bench and they will give it a good go,” said Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson. “We are expecting a good battle and a test up there, but they did really well last week.”

Ivybridge’s second team are without half-backs Matt Grieveson and Charlie Moody, who impressed last Saturday, but they do welcome back Alex Percival from the first team.

Tavistock face a tough away test this weekend when they head to title-chasing Topsham II.

The Exeter side currently sit second in the table, just one point behind Devonport Services II, who are the only team to have beaten them so far this term.

“It is a typical away game where players aren’t available,” said Tavistock head coach Leigh Puttock.

“To be fair, we have got a fairly strong team, but we are just missing people like Toby Teague, Jordan Taylor, Sheldon Higgins and Richard Cann.

“We will compete, definitely, but we know how strong they are at home.

“It’s just a bit crazy that we have got three away games in a row.”

COUNTIES THREE

IT IS another derby weekend in Devon South & West with Old Techs hosting Tamar Saracens and Plymstock Oaks II entertaining Plymouth Argaum.

Techs and Sarries have enjoyed some good, hard battles over the years, but all recent meetings have gone the way of Tamar Saracens, who have not lost a league game to their city rivals since 2012.

But the last league meeting in March 2024 could not have been closer, with a late Rob Hall penalty securing Sarries an 11-10 victory.

“We don’t really know what to expect,” said Old Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith. “They have had a few players retire, but they turned Argaum over so they showed they can beat anyone on their day.

“It has been a long time since we have beaten them. We have had a few close results and seem to have been getting closer to winning, although we didn’t play each other last season.

“We are at home and have got quite a solid team out.”

Bedford-Smith says the Techs team were boosted by snatching a last-gasp win at Totnes last weekend.

“We were a bit light all over the park last week, but we ground out a result,” he said.

“I don’t think there is any better way to win the game, especially when you are playing away, have people missing and others playing out of position.

“I think something like that really helps team spirit.

“Afterwards everyone was buzzing when half-a-minute before they were thinking they were going to lose.

“Some of the younger lads really stood up and hopefully we can bring that into this week.”

Techs are set to be missing Ben Hockey and Ben Wheatley, but they should have James Botham, Josh O’Hare, Brett Tunnicliffe, Lewis Harvey and Ben Hill back.

Tamar Saracens have not played a match since November 8.

They should have played Torquay Athletic II last Saturday but the game got postponed just before kick-off as the posts at the end where Torquay were warming up fell down.

Plymouth Argaum are another team that have not played for a while. Their last match was on November 1.

They were handed a walkover last weekend by Kingsbridge II and their Lockie Cup game on Wednesday night against the Medics was called off.

“It was a bit frustrating what happened on Wednesday night,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery.

“I’m not quite sure what the outcome will be. The pitch seemed like it was playable, but the game didn’t go ahead, so we haven’t played for three weeks.

“We have reasonable availability this weekend. We have plenty of backs. We are bit short of forwards due to Tom Mann’s wedding.

“Oaks are doing well. They have already beaten Tamar Saracens this season so it’s probably going to be a tight game.

“At it has been so wet, it’s probably not going to be pretty, but hopefully, we can get a game and pick up a result.”

Plympton Victoria are the one Combination team who do not have a derby this weekend. Instead they will host Totnes at St Mary’s Field.

“We’re looking forward to it,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt.

“But we know it will be a hard game as Totnes have come on leaps and bounds.”

Plym Vic are still waiting to get their first win of the season and would love to do it at home this Saturday.