Newton Abbot have signed former Cornish All Blacks forward Barry-John Chapman and are poised to throw him straight in against National Three South West leaders Bournemouth tomorrow.

Chapman, whose career started at Okehampton, is a versatile player who can operate anywhere in the back five, or out on the wing.

He was with Launceston from 2006 to 2008, played briefly for Canterbury in Kent, then went on a southern hemisphere odyssey which took him to Fiji and Australia.

After a break from the game due to a knee injury, Chapman is back and raring to go.

Chapman has connections with the All Whites – player-coach Andy Birkett is a former All Blacks team-mate and clubman James Head is a cousin – and has been training for the past month.

With skipper and No.8 Ben Cole unable to play, Newton have had no hesitation in putting Chapman straight in.

"Baptisms don't come much tougher in our division than Bournemouth away as it is a hard place to earn your stripes," said Newton's director of rugby Phil Burford. "Baz has looked sharp in training and with Ben Cole missing it is a perfect opportunity to get him playing again."

Barnstaple have also dipped into the transfer market this week, signing scrum-half Richard Friend from the Cornish All Blacks.

Highly-rated Friend moved to Polson in the last close season from Okehampton, but has been short of game time.

Barnstaple have a scrum-half issue – Neilson Webber is unlikely to play for the next month owing to a personal commitment of a charitable nature – and the only cover is 17-year-old Josh Lee. Friend will make his debut in tomorrow's rearranged game at Old Redcliffians.

Exmouth were not too disappointed their National Three South West game against Bridgwater was delayed a week as they has selection issues last Saturday.

Coach Jon Hill is looking forward to picking from an expanded squad.

"Adam Wyllie, Phil Kaye and Milo Reynolds are all back to boost the pack," said Hill.

"George Meadows is back from England Colleges duties, but we won't have Ben King or Will Norton, who were away with George." Norton is playing for Exeter Chiefs Academy on Sunday against the South West Under-18 XV and King is carrying a knock.

Taunton return to match action after a two-week break, during which director of rugby Lee Waddon has left the club, with a trip to Southend in National Two South.