Ambitious St Columba eager to develop home grown talent

GROWING Torpoint outfit St Columba are appealing for players to ‘come home’.

The ambitious Defiance-based club, who are likely to be one of the front-runners in Devon Two, want local help to launch a promotion push through the leagues.

St Columba have already recruited a new scrum-half, former Services player Eddie Goodman, who will help push the team’s youngsters on.

Acting chairman Chris Goodman, who is also St Columba’s director of rugby, said: “We have a very young side once again this season, in line with our development strategy.

“The majority of our players are local lads and we appeal to other local Torpoint players who are presently representing other teams to come home and help further our intention to keep Torpoint on the rugby map.”

He added: “Our head coach, John Wolk, remains focused and driven to succeeding and improving the club further.

“The committee is ambitious to progress the club through the Devon leagues and beyond.”

Goodman said Saints are improving their facilities.

The club has recently had a shower and changing area refurbishment, supported by local councillors and former mayor Mike Pearn.

Saints’ main sponsor, electrician Lee Evely, has provided training lights for darker evenings.

Goodman said the club also has plans to take a long-term lease on Defiance Field from Cornwall County Council to help attract funds.

Saints will face some old rivals when Devon Two kicks off next Saturday.

In a restructured division, the Devon league is split into two once again after being merged last season in a failed experiment.

Saints, who were ‘relegated’ back to Devon Two, meet Plymouth rivals Old Techs at Defiance Field in their first game of the season.

Devonport-based DHSOB will also play in Devon Two, despite reaching the Devon League play-offs last season.

Old Boys, who showed they were more than capable of taking on the leading Devon One teams when they were able to field a full squad, will also push hard for league honours.

The city side last season boasted a Phillipine international, centre Keni West.

In the Devon Two mix are the rebuilding and difficult to beat Old Techs, who looked for a long time last season as if they would gatecrash the play-off party.

Like many smaller clubs in the Devon League, Techs’ main problem was being able to turn out a settled side on a regular basis.

However, the club will be looking to build on an ever-improving win-loss ration and will give any opponent a robust contest, win, lose or draw.

Plymouth Argaum are also rebuilding after pulling out of the Devon League play-offs last season because of a lack of players.

Argaum, to the surprise of the rest of the league, also forced their way into the play-offs, but were hamstrung by a loss of key personnel late in the season.

The Bickleigh Down-based outfit, however, are rapidly rebuilding and are likely to do well in Devon Two.

Plympton Victoria have the ability to spring a few shocks in the division, despite having the reputation — largely unfairly — of being one of the league’s whipping boys.

A plucky effort last season in Devon One, where it was unreasonable to put the club in the first place, was hamstrung by a lack of regular players.