LAUNCESTON joint head coach Ian Goldsmith feels Saturday’s trip to promoted Sidmouth has all the ingredients of a ‘banana skin’.
The Cornishmen are currently top of the Regional One South West table with six wins from their first seven, while the Devonians, competing at Step Five for the first time, are 10thin the 12-team division with two victories and five defeats.
However, last year’s Regional Two South West champions have come into form.
They beat St Austell 30-23 before seeing off fellow new boys Royal Wootton Bassett 13-12 last time out.
Goldsmith knows it could be tough at Heydons Lane, saying: “If you chose a banana skin game for us, this would be it.
“Unfamiliar surroundings, a slopy pitch which they’re obviously used to and they have won their last two games which means they’re starting to acclimatise to the league now.
“All the ingredients are there so it’s up to us to overcome it and there are a few things we need to make sure we get right.
“We need to implement our physicality, work hard, if not harder than them and make sure we stay on the right side of the referee.”
Sidmouth’s location not far from Exeter has seen them attract some well-known players, and Goldsmith expects a good watch.
He said: “They have a couple of very good operators in former Exeter Chiefs, Bristol and Ealing hooker Shaun Malton and versatile former Exeter Chiefs back Phil Dollman, and it looks like they’re involved a bit in the coaching as well.
“It looks like they run the ball a lot and try to keep ball in hand, so they’re certainly won’t be just sticking it up your jumper so to speak and driving from everywhere, so it should be an open game and not a great deal of kicking.”
Launceston were due to visit Western Counties One West outfit Penryn in the first round of the Cornwall Knockout Cup on Saturday, but the hosts were unable to raise a side, a fate which also happened to the seconds as their Falmouth counterparts did likewise in the Duchy Cup.
He said: “On a club level it probably worked out okay as we had a few injuries and unavailabilities, and that’ll help us.
“The seconds also had the same issue, but there’s a bigger picture for the Cornwall RFU to think about as so many games were either postponed or conceded.
“There’s been lots of chat about the clubs and why they can’t get teams out, but it comes down to the players. I’m sure the coaches and directors of rugby want to get the fixtures fulfilled, but if the players don’t want to play then there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Goldsmith also gave an update on Tuesday morning of the squad’s fitness.
He said: “Tom (Sandercock) is definitely out for a while, anywhere between four and 12 weeks with his broken finger, Charlie (Short) has his hearing about the red card tomorrow night (Tuesday), and Ollie Bebbington, who is still injured anyway, is in Australia until the end of the month.
But the good news is that Fred’s (Levent Bulut) calf injury should be fine and we’re hoping that a couple of weeks off for Jose (Luis Juarez) means he should be good to go at 15.”
Elsewhere on Saturday, the Castles are due to entertain Falmouth twos in Counties Three Cornwall, while in the same division Bude Seconds make the long trip to Camborne School of Mines at Penryn College.
Bude’s firsts also head to the outskirts of Falmouth as they visit Penryn in a big game in Counties One Western West.
Sunday sees Launceston Ladies welcome Hornets in Women’s NC 1 South West (West), while in the division below, Bude Ladies entertain Bridgwater & Albion.
Check the clubs’ social media channels for kick-off times.