Tiverton up for double to sign off big season
TIVERTON will be going for a league and cup double this Saturday afternoon when they face Bideford in the Devon Junior Cup final.
Promotion from Counties Western West is already in the bag and Two South West rugby lies ahead from September.
Winning one of Devon’s oldest pieces of silverware – it has been around since 1889 – would be the ‘cherry on top’ of a successful season.
Jon Hill, the Tiverton coach, said completing the double would be a ‘remarkable achievement.’ But he stressed the challenge of the game should not be underestimated either.
“There is a lot of familiarity between ourselves and Bideford as their coaches – Mark Schofield and Tom Skelding – were with us until last season and know us well,” said Hill, a trophy winner with Tiverton in 1998 when they lifted the Devon Senior Cup.
“We have played Bideford twice this season, which adds to the familiarity, and it is only three weeks since we had to work hard to beat them up there.
“Bideford have been on a good run of form in our division – only we beat them in the last four games – and they will have been well prepared by Mark and Tom. We have been on a remarkable run of form, having only lost one game since the end of September, and the guys have been on a huge high having gained promotion.
“The final will a huge challenge for us, one that we’ve got to get right mentally as well as physically.
“The key message to the players is, go out there and create some history and be remembered as that side that did the double.”
Tiverton will have an eight-man bench for the final – five more than a league match – which makes selection a little easier.
Prop Ben Blake is back from suspension is should be part of the match-day 22. Centre Alan Smith is poised to come in, but Tiverton will be without Henry Selick and Joe Webber, who are playing in a county colts final on Sunday.
Tiverton’s place in final was already assured before last Saturday’s semi-final between Tavistock and Bideford should have taken place.
Tavistock withdrew from the competition during the week before the game, owing to team-raising issues, which handed Bideford a walk-over into the final.
Tiverton’s team bus for the final has a limited number of seats for supporters.
Anyone interested in a seat should contact Charlie Burt on 07723 561435.