ALL eyes will be on the Recreation Ground tomorrow as the Cornish derby takes place at Camborne with the Cornish All Blacks the visitors for a crucial South West Premier clash (2.30pm).
Both sides have struggled to win at Step Five this season with Launceston winning three of those – at home against Ivybridge, Old Centralians and Royal Wootton Bassett while the Cherry and Whites have been successful when Drybrook and Ivybridge have visited West Cornwall.
However the All Blacks are nine points above their old rivals by virtue of collecting ten bonus points due to a series of narrow defeats, while Camborne started slowly and are currently six points adrift of third bottom Okehampton after a 22-21 defeat to Oke last weekend.
Launceston joint head coaches Ian Goldsmith and Ryan Westren make just one change from last Saturday’s 30-24 defeat at home to Brixham as former Plymouth Albion and Richmond hooker Rupert Freestone comes in to the front row with hooker Levent Bulut dropping down to the bench for the first time this year.
The rest of the squad is unchanged with Adam Powell (injured) and Dean Abrams (illness) still unavailable.
The game also counts as the first leg of the Super Cup with the winners being the team with the most points from both league meetings this season.
Cornish All Blacks at Camborne –
Tom ‘Gravel’ Sandercock, Shaun Crawford, Ryan Westren, Cam Fogden, Dan Pearce, James Tucker, Adam Collings; Andy Knight, Rupert Freestone, James McFarlane, Dan Goldsmith, Tom Bottoms, Charlie Tummon, Lloyd Duke (capt), Brandon Rowley.
Replacements: Mitch Hawken, Levent Bulut, Leion Cole.
Other South West Premier fixtures: Bournemouth v Old Redcliffians, Brixham v Old Centralians, Drybrook v Okehampton, Exeter University v Ivybridge, Exmouth v Hornets, Weston-super-Mare v Royal Wootton Bassett.
Cornwall/Devon
BUDE will look to make it seven wins from seven at Bencoolen Meadow this term when fifth-placed Torquay Athletic make the long trip to North Cornwall tomorrow.
Bude are flying high in third, and although they lost 24-14 at leaders Topsham last Saturday, a controversial disallowed try with ten minutes remaining at 17-14 down could have seen them come away with a famous victory.
However on home soil they rarely lose and will be confident of continuing that record against the South Devon side.
That said, Bude have six first choice starters missing with four from last weekend, all in the pack as prop Chris Allin, second row Joel Troke and back-rowers Fred Saxton and Joe Wilson are all out – the last three due to injury.
That means recalls for hooker Martin George, Dan Statton in the second row and Luke Wilson for his first start of the season at blindside-flanker. Player/coach Angus Hodges switches back into the pack, dotting down at number eight.
Besides the continued absence of inside-centre Ed Hilliam-Cooke, the backline is at full-strength with former Cornwall winger Kyle Speare back in the side and starts in an exciting centre partnership with Will Pharo.
The bench sees the return of prop Jake Keat who started the season at Launceston, as well as second team skipper Will Hockridge and Brad Thomas.
Bude v Torquay Athletic –
Olly Denford (capt), Rory Hodges, Will Pharo, Kyle Speare, Zerran Hammond, Charlie Watton, Olly Mounce; Jason Bolt, Martin George, Matt Williams, Will Kingdon, Dan Statton, Luke Wilson, Finlay Fry, Angus Hodges.
Replacements: Jake Keat, Will Hockridge, Brad Thomas.
THERE’S a huge clash at Lux Park tomorrow as neighbours Liskeard-Looe welcome old rivals Saltash (2.30pm) with both sides battling away at the wrong end of the table.
The Lions who are in transition with lots of young players coming into the team, have yet to win all season, collecting just a draw for their efforts, while Saltash, relegated from the Western Counties two years ago, have struggled badly with injuries and unavailabilities.
Saltash have at least won twice, including a 49-5 victory over bottom side Hayle last weekend and are able to recall several key players including former Cornish All Blacks winger Will Morton, ex-skipper Lewis Wells and flanker Steve Hillman.
Liskeard welcome back skipper Nathan Wills and Aaron Rowe to bolster the back-row while there a few positional changes in the pack with second-row Michael Prowse moving to prop and Lowen Egginton to lock.
Jack Badnall switches from flanker to the wing in place of Billy Wildgoose, while full-back Kieran Underhill is also recalled.
As it stands, the third bottom Ashes are on 13 points, three behind Newquay Hornets and six ahead of Liskeard, showing the importance of tomorrow’s clash.
Liskeard-Looe v Saltash –
Kieran Underhill, Billy Edwards, Ollie Aggiss, Ieuan Evans, Jack Badnall, James Noel-Johnson, Callum Beaver; Michael Prowse, Mike Porter, Kai Manning, Will Stuart, Lowen Egginton, Aaron Rowe, Nathan Wills (capt), Archie Doidge.
Replacements: Mike Mander, Lewis Elliott, Stewart Patten.
Saltash at Liskeard-Looe –
Ryan Cruickshanks, Will Morton, Rob Down, Phil Eatwell, Jay Moriarty, Andrew Walsh, Lewis Stuart; Chris Carpenter, Dale Thompson, Ryan Simmons, Lewis Woolaway, Liall Honey, Lewis Wells, Steve Hillman, Devon Bennett-Murray.
Replacements: Simon Nance, Joe Ronayne, Ryan Rayner.
Other Cornwall/Devon fixtures: Cullompton v Topsham, Hayle v Tavistock, North Tawton v Pirates Amateurs, Plymstock Albion Oaks v Newquay Hornets, Withycombe v Veor.