DEVONPORT Services will be looking to pick up a second trophy within the space of six days this evening when their second team take on their Topsham counterparts in the Devon 2nd XV Cup final at the Rectory (7pm).
Services’ first team were crowned Regional One South West champions last Saturday after beating Marlborough at home.
Now their Counties Two Devon leading second team will look to achieve the first part of a league and cup double.
“It would be nice to win it and also the following week, if results go our way, the twos could win the title as well,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.
“We should have a decent team out. It will be the majority of the boys who have played for the twos all year, but there are obviously people away as it is Easter weekend.”
Services II have already beaten Topsham II twice this year in the league. They triumphed 32-22 away at Bonfire Field in October and then stunned them 82-12 at home at the end of February.
However, since then Topsham II are unbeaten and they hammered Exeter Saracens 94-5 last week.
“The biggest thing for the lads is to right off that 82-12 win at home,” said Russell.
“That was just one of those days where, yeah we were good, but everything stuck.
“Most of the breaks we made in the second half, we finished. It was just one of those days where everything came off.
“I looked at the video afterwards and it certainly didn’t feel like a 82-12 game.
“And they had a great result last weekend.”
Russell was keen to praise Rikki Bentham and Aiden Taylor for the work they have done on the coaching side after injury meant they were unable to play in the front-row for the first team.
Taylor has switched from hooker to playing fly-half for the seconds and coaching them.
“We have done well because the likes of Rikki (Bentham) and Aiden (Taylor) have worked hard,” said Russell.
“Aiden has been cracking for the twos since October and Rikki came back in December to help sort our set-piece game out. It has been really good.
“Hopefully, Aiden gets to celebrate winning a cup as a coach and then can make it a league-cup double the weekend after. He has been brilliant for them.”
Meanwhile, OPMs will be looking to put a few tough months behind them when they play New Cross away on Saturday in the Devon Junior Bowl.
The Old Boys are the cup holders having won it last season and, despite their poor recent run of form in Counties Two Devon, they should be favourites to lift it again as New Cross are only fifth in Counties Three Devon North & East.
However, Saturday’s cup final is likely to be a bit of a distraction to their battle to stay at level eight.
The following week they do have a must-win match against second-from-bottom Ivybridge II.
Also on Saturday, Devon will entertain Cornwall in the annual Tamar Cup clash at Brickfields (2.30pm).
The game is used by both counties to look at players ahead of the County Championship campaign.
Devon’s side will look more like the one that will feature in the County Championships, although Topsham players are not available this weekend.
Cornwall’s side, though, is likely to be considerably different as they have once again agreed to only select players from level five and below to match Devon.
In Devon’s County Championship division, National League players are unable to feature, but in the top division, which Cornwall play in, National League players are permitted and so the Duchy will have Camborne and Redruth stars to come in.
Cornwall have named former Devon scrum-half George Hillson in their side for Saturday’s clash, while Saltash’s Ryan Cruickshanks is named among the replacements after impressing in the same game last year.
Devon’s side is set to draw heavily on Devonport Services and Brixham players this weekend.
“We are all looking forward to it,” said Devon head coach Richard Goldsby-West.
“It will be good to have a decent run out at Brickfields. Hopefully, there will be a lot of people watching and it will be a good day.
“And, hopefully, we can put in a good performance that leads to a win and just build some momentum into the County Championships.
“The goal after the last two years is just to get to Twickenham again.”
He added: “We have got a big squad this year as we wanted to give as many people a chance as possible.
“We’ve had high numbers at training to make it competitive, which has been good.”