LAUNCESTON have made four changes to their starting line-up – two of which are enforced – from their clash at Lydney for tomorrow’s home game with Matson at Polson Bridge (3pm).

The All Blacks lost 38-15 in Gloucestershire on December 16, their third defeat in four games, and have since dropped to fifth in the table.

That said, they still have a more than healthy eight wins and four defeats from their 12 outings, and start as firm favourites against a Matson side that look to be in at four-way battle with Okehampton, Ivybridge and Weston-super-Mare to avoid the drop.

When the two sides met in Gloucestershire back in September, the Cornishmen ran out convincing 35-20 winners.

Launceston are without prop Mitch Hawken who dislocated his elbow at Lydney with his place going to Alex Bartlett, while elsewhere in the pack, Dan Goldsmith is preferred to Leion Cole at lock and Tom Bottoms comes in for the unavailable George Bone at blindside-flanker.

In the backs, there is just one alteration as fly-half Glenn Coles returns in place of Todd Crofts who joins Cole and prop Cian Baker amongst the replacements.

Scrum-half Adam Collings is also away.

Saturday is the start of a month Launceston will expect to get reward from.

After tomorrow’s clash they visit big rivals Okehampton as they seek to gain revenge on their surprise defeat to the Devonians earlier in the season, before home clashes with in-form Exmouth and Cornish rivals St Austell.

The game with the Saints also doubles up as the second leg of the Cornwall Super Cup semi-final where the winners will face Camborne who overcame Redruth.

Launceston won the first league meeting at Tregorrick Park 34-19, so even a defeat by 14 points would ensure they make it through.

Elsewhere in the division, it’s a huge day at the top of the table with the top four all playing each other.

First takes on second as level-on-points Devonport Services, who are unbeaten at home, welcome Barnstaple.

A bonus-point Chew Valley victory against visiting Brixham would see the Somerset side up to second, while a Brixham success would tighten the top four further.

There is also a massive game at the bottom as Ivybridge welcome Okehampton in a crunch Devon derby.

Third-bottom Ivybridge are two points behind the Okes having played a game more, and with Matson a point behind having played two less, the importance of a home win cannot be underestimated.

The other games see mid-table Lydney welcome a Weston-super-Mare side that are 11 points behind Ivybridge with nine games remaining, while St Austell, eight points above the bottom two, visit Exmouth.

LAUNCESTON v Matson: James Tucker, Ollie Bebbington, Ben Bryant, Cam Fogden, Dan Pearce, Glenn Coles, Tom Sandercock (capt); Ethan Pearce-Cowley, Levent Bulut, Alex Bartlett, Dan Goldsmith, Albert Horne, Tom Bottoms, Lloyd Duke, Brandon Rowley. Replacements: Cian Baker, Leion Cole, Todd Crofts.