CORNISH All Blacks first-team captain, Lloyd Duke, believes that despite losing their National League status in April, there’s ‘plenty to look forward to’ in 2018.

Despite relegation from the South West Premier, there has been a significant upturn in form and results over the last 12 months.

Going into last season’s Christmas break, Jimmy Tucker’s men had picked up two wins and a draw from their opening 14 league games and look destined for the drop.

However, a barnstorming January, which included a 23-16 win at Ivybridge, a 19-11 victory over Camborne at Polson Bridge and an early February thrashing of Newton Abbot, gave the All Blacks genuine hope that they could pull off the greatest of escapes.

However a series of last-gasp defeats meant they went down to end their 19-year stay in National League rugby.

Despite the setback, a summer of continuity in the playing and coaching staff and the acquisitions of the likes of Dan Pearce from Bude, number eight Torin Clarke and backs Shaun Crawford and Dom Mulberry, have seen the All Blacks enjoy a decent start to the season.

They’ve won nine and lost five of their 14 fixtures and sit fourth in the table, while 13 different players have scored their 42 league tries.

Just one defeat at home — a 20-19 defeat to Exeter University — has ensured that the crowds have continued to turn up in their droves although there have been some disappointments along the way, including derby defeats at Bideford (24-0) and a painful 26-20 defeat at old rivals Okehampton.

However on the whole there have been plenty of positives. Pearce has made a massive difference, initially playing as a full-back until being put onto the right-wing in the last couple of games, he’s brought some much-needed pace and attacking threat to score 11 tries as well as 28 conversions and 14 penalties from 13 games.

Player/coach Ryan Westren has rediscovered his knack of scoring tries with nine of his own while the rest of a very young side continue to improve alongside the experience of Duke and Westren.

Looking back at the year, Duke said: “Coming into 2017 we weren’t in very good form at all. We managed to go to Ivybridge and win in January and we sort of turned a corner and our performances improved. Although we did end up getting relegated, we managed to keep most of the squad together and we’ve played pretty well so far this season. We started with two away wins, which were crucial and although we’ve been off the boil in a few games, particularly away from home, we’ve managed to win some of them. The Exeter game was perhaps the biggest disappointment of the year as we should have won the game and it also meant we lost our unbeaten home record this season.

“However, if you had said at the start of the season we would have been fourth in the league at Christmas and into the semi-finals of the Cornwall Cup we probably would have taken it. We’re in a good position overall and the club is getting stronger and stronger, both on and off the field. We’re already looking forward to 2018 and making sure the club continues to push forward.”

The All Blacks are in league action next Saturday when they entertain Matson (3pm). The Gloucestershire-based side conceded their scheduled trip to Polson Bridge back in September. However, the RFU?stepped in and told Matson that they have reversed the fixture so that Launceston Rugby Club don’t miss out on all the gate receipts and bar takings they would lose from a home game.