COUNTIES 3 TRIBUTE ALE DEVON SOUTH & WEST

Salcombe 43 Kingsbridge 2nd XV 17

WHILE Salcombe RFC deserved to win this opening league match of the 2025/26 league season, the final score is probably a little hard on Kingsbridge 2nd XV.

With 20 minutes remaining, the visitors scored to move within one score of the Crabs at 24-17, prompting the anxiety to grow amongst the Salcombe supporters.

However, 19 unanswered points from the home side in the last quarter settled matters emphatically and offered a testament to Salcombe's superior fitness.

The strong south easterly wind had a big influence on events throughout the game and with Salcombe playing into it in the first half, their poor kicking was gifting Kingsbridge the upperhand.

Salcombe defended well but pressure took its toll and the visitors scored out wide after some slick movement of the ball. A superb conversion from near the touchline gave Kingsbridge a 7-0 lead.

The Crabs recovered quickly though and a smart charge down and recovery of the ball by Lee Clarke enabled him to make good ground before handing on to number eight Jasper Walters, who shrugged off several tackles for a muscular try under the sticks. The conversion by Clarke brought the scores level but Kingsbridge took the lead again through a penalty immediately afterwards.

Salcombe then applied pressure and from a lineout on the visitors 22, the ball came to Tom Langley on the wing who went over for a well-taken try. The difficult conversion failed but Salcombe were now ahead for the first time, 12-10, as the break arrived.

With the wind now behind them in the second half, Salcombe made good use of it to take the initiative. Smooth hands in the backs allowed Will Oram to go over for an unconverted try and this was followed by a great steal of the visitor’s lineout by Adam Squire, who then ghosted his way through the surprised Kingsbridge defence to score under the posts.

With the score now at 24-10 to the hosts, they relaxed as the game entered the final quarter. This allowed Kingsbridge to take advantage of some poor defence and a solo run from their centre brought the score to 24-17 following the conversion.

This was the visitor’s last hurrah as Salcombe’s fitness showed in scoring three tries in the final quarter.

Squire got his second of the afternoon following some good work in the backs before Clarke was suddenly faced with a gaping hole in the Kingsbridge defence, to allow him to touch down under the posts.

The conversion brought the score to 36-17 before hard-working prop Matt Harvey was in the right place to get the ball after some good hands in the backs. running round to ease the conversion, he dotted down to bring up the final score of 43-17.

Next week, Salcombe face what is likely to be a tougher challenge away at newly relegated Plymouth Argaum for a 3pm kick-off. Salcombe then have a week off on the 20th before a home Cup match v OPM on the 27th, ko 3pm. Do go along and cheer the boys on.

Meanwhile, Kingsbridge 2nd XV will welcome Brixham 2nd XI to High House this weekend for a first home outing of the season.