ST AUSTELL head coach Sam Parsons feels his side are ready for tomorrow’s ‘biggest game of the season’ against Cornish rivals Launceston (3pm).

The Saints welcome the All Blacks to Tregorrick Park sitting five points from safety in Regional One South West having lost four of their first five games.

However, they have already played the top three in leaders Topsham, who they lost 34-19 to last week, as well as Devonport Services and Lydney.

A narrow victory over Exmouth means they can start a winnable run of fixtures with confidence.

Reflecting on last Saturday’s encounter at Topsham, Parsons felt it was one that got away.

He said: “It was disappointing more than heartbreaking as I felt we were in a position to win the game.

“The way we started was brilliant and at times during that first period we had them on the ropes.

“And then to have a mental collapse leading to 20 unanswered points was a little self-inflicted more than them fighting back.

“We played some of the best rugby I have seen at St Austell in the early stages, but we just took our foot off the gas.”

The Saints led 14-0 early on at the Bonfire Field, and Parsons had praise for a couple of individuals.

He said: “Jamie Stanlake again was superb on both sides of the ball and did not deserve to be on the losing side. He’s in great form and a joy to watch at the moment, long may that continue.

“And of course a special mention to Pete Rowe. To reach 250 caps is a huge achievement and even bigger as a front row.

“He’s an absolute stalwart of this club, is full of commitment and a player who has improved out of sight over the last five or six seasons.”

Saints may have some work to do, but Parsons believes victories are just around the corner, while Launceston arrive in seventh with two wins and three defeats.

He said: “I have massive belief in this side as I have said before and we are on the verge of tipping the balance in turning the narrow margins in our favour, hopefully starting tomorrow against Launceston.

“It’s the biggest game of our season no doubt, there is always something about derby day that hits different.

“You look forward to these occasions when the fixtures are announced. Doing the double last season will mean nothing on Saturday and it’s all to play for.

“I am expecting a full-blooded high-tempo, high-impact game with loads of intensity. It’s a derby game, and expect nothing less.”

St Austell have mixed news on the squad front.

Rowe is out with an achilles injury and replaced by exciting youngster Dan Bennett in the front row, while there are two huge returns on the bench in the shape of prop Matt Boothby, who was last year’s player of the year, and player/coach Matt Shepherd.

They replace veteran forward Hugh Noott and winger Dan Navas.

The rest of the side is unchanged although Jamie Stanlake and Ben Plummer swap positions with Stanlake moving to inside-centre.

ST AUSTELL: Archie Bees, Arthur Fletcher, Ben Plummer (co-captain), Jamie Stanlake, Max Bullen, Ben Saunders, Dan Tyrrell; Dan Bennett, Peter Harris, Charlie Nicholson; Mark Vian (co-captain), Tom Daniel, Hector Bright, Cam Taylor, Adam Powell. Replacements: Matt Boothby, Peter Fletcher, Matt Shepherd.