LAUNCESTON will visit Cornish rivals St Austell in a blockbuster opening to the new Regional One South West season on Saturday, September 12.

The All Blacks head to Tregorrick Park under new head coach Steve Perry and forwards coach Will James to face a Saints side who, after a slow start in Sam Parsons’ first year in charge, narrowly missed out on the top three.

As ever with the fixtures, it means they will also meet on the last day of the season, and both sides will hope there’s plenty to play for at Polson Bridge on April 10.

Launceston’s first home outing is against last year’s runners-up Topsham who they memorably beat to avoid the end of season relegation play-offs, before they round off the month with a trip to newly-promoted Trowbridge, the Wiltshire outfit having won the Regional Two Severn title.

A home clash with much-fancied Brixham is the first assignment of October which is followed by reconvening activities with Newent in Gloucestershire. The Greens and Launceston were memorably involved in a couple of promotion battles several years back in the old South West One West.

The first half of the season ends with a home clash against Sidmouth on December 12, before the final match before Christmas sees a trip to East Devon to tackle Topsham.

The full fixture list is as follows: SEPTEMBER: 12 – St Austell (A); 19 – Topsham (H); 26 – Trowbridge (H); OCTOBER: 3 – Brixham (H); 17 – Newent (A); 24 – Exmouth (H); 31 – Weston-super-Mare (A); NOVEMBER: 14 – Lydney (A); 21 – Chew Valley (H); DECEMBER: 5 – Royal Wootton Bassett (A); 12 – Sidmouth (H); 19 – Topsham (A); JANUARY: 9 – Trowbridge (H); 16 – Brixham (A); 30 – Newent (H); FEBRUARY: 6 – Exmouth (A); 13 – Weston-super-Mare (H); 27 – Lydney (H); MARCH: 6 – Chew Valley (A); 20 – Royal Wootton Bassett (H); APRIL: 3 – Sidmouth (A); 10 – St Austell (H).