BRIDGWATER & Albion return to league action tomorrow, when they travel down the M5 to play Cullompton in South West 1 West (ko 2.15pm), writes Richard Walsh.

Albion are in fifth place in the table with 43 points from their 14 games, while their Devonian hosts are 13th with eight points.

Looking ahead to the match, director of rugby Geoff Sluman said: “We look forward to our first game of 2019; the players have had a good rest over the Christmas period and are ready to go.”

When the two sides met at College Way earlier in the season it was the hosts who ran out comfortable winners, 80-10, but Albion will not be underestimating their hosts.

Sluman said: “Cullompton have had a difficult season so far but if you look at their last two or three games you can see there have been definite improved performances and some close games against some good teams.

“If I were them I would be targeting home games and a match after a bit of a break is an opportunity to catch sides out, so we have to mitigate against all of those things.

“Cullompton are well coached and will be committed, so we won’t be expecting anything easy.”

He added: “We have plenty of ideas where we want to develop our game but we have to be patient and introduce new concepts at the right times and let them settle before we move on again.

“Nothing is ‘broken’, we are in a good position but the point is we want to improve from where we are.”

“We have tried to get a sensible balance since our last league game between resting up to get everyone recovered and fresh, while staying sharp and game ready.

“We won’t know if we have got it right until a few games in when we have used all of our squad players.”

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NORTH Petherton face the toughest possible test to start 2019.

Ninth-placed Pethy travel to take on Launceston, who lead the South West 1 West standings, tomorrow.

In Somerset 1, Bridgwater & Albion 2nds go to Bath Old Edwardians, while North Petherton 2nds welcome Crewkerne to Beggars Brook.

And in Somerset 2 South, Morganians are at home to Somerton.