Barum closed in on promotion from South West One last Saturday when they trounced Wootton Bassett 40-8 to go back to the top of the table at the expense of Brixham, who lost at home to Sidmouth.
Although Barnstaple have turned Sidmouth over twice in the league, the Seasiders are fresh from defeating Brixham at Brixham, which no one else has done since Exmouth won there 45-23 way back in October 2023. Barum could only draw 17-all at Astley Park on their last visit.
Winston James, the Barnstaple coach, said he had seen enough of Sidmouth at close quarters this season to treat them with the utmost respect.
“It will be tough – it is a cup final – and Sidmouth play a good brand of rugby,” said James.
“The battle will be at the set-pieces where we need to get on top of them.
The mutual respect extends in both directions as Glenn Channing, part of the Sidmouth coaching crew, was impressed by Barum in both league meetings.
“Barnstaple are the best scrummaging side in our division so we have to be brave and get after them there,” said Channing.
“I doubt too many people will expect us to beat Barnstaple, but they would not have expected us to turn Brixham over… and we did!
“As a player you yearn to play in cup finals and be a cup winner. I am lucky enough to have done that with Torquay back in 2007.
“Anything can happen in cup rugby and I am envious of the boys who will be out there giving it a go.”
Channing is also anticipating a battle royal between the opposing packs of forwards.
“Barnstaple are the best scrummaging side in our division so we have to be brave and get after them there,” said Channing.
Barnstaple’s are close to full strength for the cup final with only two notable absentees. Flanker Ryan Smale suffered a shoulder injury in the win over Royal Wootton Bassett, and is out for the rest of the season, while stand-off Tom Swales (knee) is a non-runner.
Missing from Sidmouth’s starting line-up are former pros Phil Dollman and Shaun Malton, both of whom featured prominently in the league win over Brixham last Saturday. They have tickets for the England-Wales game in Cardiff.
Channing’s words were direct when he assessed the impact of not having Malton or Dollman in the side for the final.
“We were hoping they would not go, but that has not been the case,” said Channing. “It could be the difference between competing and losing.”
Sidmouth’s route to the final has been an unorthodox one as Okehampton withdrew from the round of eight – and Brixham waved them through in the last four.
Brixham were aware in advance that a combination of injury and availability problems would leave them without sufficient front-row forwards to populate a squad of 22 for the final.
Brixham and Sidmouth initially agreed last Saturday’s South West One game between them would be a double-header with a cup-final place and league points up for grabs. To avoid the embarrassment of possibly winning a semi-final, but having to withdraw from the final itself, Brixham conceded the cup element of the match.
Channing said anyone thinking Sidmouth did not deserve to be in the final, was mistaken.
“Had we lost a double-header to Brixham, then been awarded a place in the final, you could argue we were lucky to be there,” said Channing.
“The fact we went to Brixham and won is proof we are there by right.”
The last time Sidmouth got their hands on the cup – first contested way back in 1888 – was when they defeated Brixham 3-0 in the 1930-31 final.
Sidmouth have been back to the final twice since then – 1931 and 1978 – when they lost to Paignton and Exeter in the pre-Chiefs era respectively.
Barnstaple fly-half Tom Swales, who will miss the Devon Cup final due to a knee injury. Photo: Bob Collins
