After five weeks off due to freezing temperatures, Christmas and new year, clubs will hope for a return to normality when they play their first fixtures of 2023 tomorrow.

In Regional One South West, Launceston welcome Weston-super-Mare (2.30pm) looking to pull clear of the bottom two and into mid-table.

The All Blacks have had an inconsistent season, winning just four of their 12 outings, but did break their away duck last time out in a superb 15-10 success at Old Centralians.

They sit six points above second from last Okehampton who have played a game more, meaning they do have a buffer in the race for survival.

With Launceston having six of their last ten fixtures at home, they have the opportunity to pull clear, starting with the visit of Weston who they can leapfrog with victory.

Joint head coaches Ian Goldsmith and Ryan Westren have had some selection dilemmas this week.

Hooker Levent Bulut, scrum-half Adam Collings and fly-half Glenn Coles are all unavailable, ensuring plenty of switching around in the backs.

Bulut’s place at the front of the scrum is taken by prop Andy Knight with Mitch Hawken moving inside.

The positions of Collings and Coles go to recent player of the month Tom Sandercock, who moves to nine, and James Tucker from full-back to ten.

The wingers remain the same with Dan Pearce and Archie Dinnis, while the midfield is made up of Joe Stansfield and Jack Statton, back from university for the next couple of games.

Tucker’s full-back slot is filled by James Slater who has impressed at fly-half in the second team. It will be his first start at Step Five.

Launceston v Weston-super-Mare: James Slater, Archie Dinnis, Jack Statton, Joe Stansfield, Dan Pearce, James Tucker, Tom Sandercock; Alex Bartlett, Mitch Hawken, Andy Knight, Leion Cole, Jake Crabb, George Bone, Lloyd Duke (capt), Brandon Rowley. Replacements: Ethan Pearce-Cowley, Tom Bottoms, Charlie Tummon.

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BUDE welcome fellow strugglers Plymstock Albion Oaks  (2.30pm) knowing they can ill-afford to slip up.

The North Cornwall side have exceeded expectations so far despite a crippling injury list and the loss of star players Angus Hodges and Kyle Speare to Plymouth Albion.

Their Bencoolen Meadow ground has seen them win four of their seven home games, but with just three of their remaining nine games on home turf after Saturday, two of which are against the top three, a win is critical.

Bude are able to give a start to young lock Freddie Stevenson while the back row of Ben Hancock, Finley Fry and skipper Freddie Saxton looks strong.

With Will Pharo and Charlie Watton missing, former captain Olly Denford lines up in an unfamiliar fly-half position next to the experience of scrum-half Olly Mounce.

Plymstock are four points ahead of Bude but have played two more games due to Bude’s postponements before Christmas, and are right in the relegation scrap along with Bude, Kingsbridge, Paignton and bottom side Falmouth, who have yet to win.

BUDE v Plymstock Albion Oaks: Luke Wilson, George Hodgson, Billy Roberts, Ed Hilliam-Cooke, Patrick Marks, Olly Denford, Olly Mounce; Jason Bolt, Rory Mead, Matt Williams, Freddie Stevenson, Will Kingdon, Ben Hancock, Finley Fry, Freddie Saxton (capt). Replacements: Shaun Andrew, Chris Hill, Harry Dymond.

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DERBY games are known to level out teams and Liskeard-Looe will hope that will be the case tomorrow when they welcome promotion-chasing Saltash to Lux Park (2pm).

While Liskeard are plodding along in mid-table, the Ashes have lost just once and are hoping to catch St Ives who have dropped just a point from their 14 games.

Saltash are 15 behind with two in-hand but can ill-afford any slip-ups if they are to reel them in.

When the two sides meet at Moorlands Lane back in September, Saltash ran out convincing 62-0 winners, but Lux Park’s narrow pitch lends itself to tight games, giving Liskeard some hope.

SALTASH: Billy Dover, Will Morton, Danny Snook, Sam Snell, Jay Moriarty (capt), Lewis Stuart, Jack Pritchard, Simon Nance, Axel Nicks, Ryan Simmons, James Sutton, Matt Coker, Lewis Wells, Phil Eatwell, Devon Bennett-Murray. Replacements: Rob Walsh, Mike Capstack, Greg Eatwell, Ryan Cruickshanks.

Bodmin have five wins and eight defeats to their name but will back themselves to pick up another five points when they head to Helston.

The hosts have four wins from 13 outings and have had five points deducted, so sit third bottom, four ahead of Camborne School of Mines.

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LAUNCESTON Castles have a golden chance to push towards the top three on Saturday when they head to rock bottom Redruth Albany.

Albany have yet to win this season and concede nearly 80 points a game, so Mike Haines’ side will hope not only to get five points, but significantly improve their points difference.

James Slater is missing after being called up to the first team, but with three back from university, the second team squad hasn’t been weakened.

They name a side that includes five with first team experience and also travel with a squad of 21, a far cry from their last away trip to Roseland where they played with a bare 15.

LAUNCESTON CASTLES at Redruth Albany: Mike Reddan, Mark Knight, Billy Martin, Dom Theobald, Ollie Tomkies, Richard Jasper, Corey Sillifant; Walter Tucker, Nathan Ferrett, Josh Elias, Ollie Martin, Ed Dudden (capt), James Norris, Pete Bebbington, Jack Swain. Replacements: Bill Perry, Ben Greene, Josh Rowland, Matt Davey, Harry Tomlin, Jake Boundy.

BUDE Seconds have won just once this season and make the trip to their Camborne counterparts as firm underdogs.

Camborne aren’t enjoying the best of campaigns either, sitting sixth in the 10-team division although they did have five points deducted for fielding an ineligible player, a punishment which would have seen them joint level with fourth-placed Launceston Castles.

Bude travel with just two replacements but will hope to stay in the game as long as possible and use their forwards to their advantage.

BUDE Seconds at Camborne Seconds: Jake Weeks, Steve Eaton, Jordan Hill, Will Bromell, Bryn Morgan, Tom Moys, Mark Beckly; Andrew Sillifant, Steve Gliddon, Aaron Tharme, Darren Pilot, Jacob Rundell, Bertie Seggons, Will Hockridge, Nick Waterson. Subs: Chris Heard, Aaron Ridgeman.

SALTASH SECONDS (v OPMs away, 2.30pm): Ben Lawley, Andrew Walsh, Ollie Crawford, Devan Marshall, Ross Martin, Nick Blake, Dale Partington, Colm Rich, Chris Carpenter, Ewan McLean, Aidan Marshall, Robbie John Hawkshaw, Ieuan Davis, Conrad Brooker Fin Jones. Replacements: Kieran Hurrell, Chris Gregory-Morris, Tristian Hills, Pete Reis.