LAUNCESTON head coach Ryan Westren hopes tomorrow’s Cornish derby at St Austell ‘might be exactly what we need’ as they look to return to winning ways.

The All Blacks head to Tregorrick Park in seventh in the 12-team division with 12 points from five starts.

An opening day defeat to leaders Topsham was followed by victories over Matson and Marlborough, before last Saturday saw them lose at home to Royal Wootton Bassett following a nailbiting defeat at Sidmouth a week earlier.

Last weekend saw their Wiltshire-based visitors prove too strong in a 35-24 defeat, a scoreline which could have been higher if it wasn’t for several mistakes in the Launceston 22, as Westren admitted.

He said: “Last week was a tough one to take to be honest, but as I said to the boys at the end of the game, we defended for a too long a period of time.

“I actually thought we defended pretty valiantly, but there’s only so long you can defend for and not concede. There pressure told in the end and I thought they were deserved winners and a really good side.”

Westren feels though the group are in good place, and hopes derby day will inspire his side.

He said: “It might be exactly what we need off the back of two defeats.

“The Cornish derby adds a bit of emotion which gives you that little bit of fight.

“We said all along, and during pre-season about getting resilience in us.

“And I think that’s been apparent in all five games so far as we’ve been in the fight, and we’ve been resilient. That no talent stuff, that doggedness, that willingness to work hard for each other, which maybe at the back end of last season we lacked, has been a big plus for us.

“As a coach, although we’ve not always had the results, we’ve made big strides.”

So what kind of game does Westren expect?

He said: “Probably a bit error-strewn to start with until both teams settle.

“St Austell like to throw the ball around a bit like we do.

“In both games last year they were very good. It was their second year in the league and they stepped up massively. Hopefully it’ll be a good battle.”

Westren makes four changes from last Saturday, as the key trio of skipper Tom Sandercock, Charlie Tummon and George Bone all return, while there is a start for winger Mitch Acres.

Acres’ inclusion means Morgan Woods reverts to inside-centre with vice-captain Brandon Rowley dropped to the bench alongside Levent Bulut and Alex Bartlett.

Sandercock is a like-for-like replacement for the unavailable Charlie Atwood at scrum-half, while in the forwards Bone and Tummon are back in as Cian Baker (unavailable) and Bartlett make way.

Bone is in the second row alongside last week’s impressive debutant at flanker Finn Stiles as Tummon resumes his natural spot at six.

LAUNCESTON: Ollie Bebbington; Mitch Acres, Ben Bryant, Morgan Woods, Billy Martin, James Tucker, Tom Sandercock (capt); Oli Martin, Rory Mead, Mitch Hawken, George Bone, Finn Stiles, Charlie Tummon, George Harris, Ben Hancock. Replacements: Levent Bulut, Alex Bartlett, Brandon Rowley.