Penryn 5pts

Try: T Peacock

Falmouth 10pts

Try: D Pellow

Penalty: J Instance

Conversion: J Instance

Penryn: Lewis Webb, Daniel Booth, Andrew Seviour, Peter Webster, Josh Chambers, Matt Biggins (Alex Stuthridge - 53), Taron Peacock, Syd Savvas (Steve Patterson - 68), Jordan Smith, Richard Hughes (Matt Cox - 40), Steve Uphill (Ben Short - 53), Kevin Hughes, Grant Randlesome, Chris Johnson (Toby Freeman - 40), Rob Trevaskis.

Falmouth: Tom Somers, Chris Pollard, Andy Palmer, Harry Somers, Steve Instance, Chris McCall, Justin Doney, Tim Gay, Jack Brown, James Instance, Steve Kent, Richard Hambly, Mike Slater (capt), Darren Pellow, James Greville-Smith. Subs: Tom Spiller, Bundi Aki, Adam Anderson, Andrew Knight, Pete Wellington.

Rugby was the winner at The Memorial Ground on Boxing Day; this is not to deny Falmouth any credit, because they ran out worthy winners by ten points to five in a fiercely competitive game.

But this was real rugby in front of large crowd of about 1,000 people, who came to celebrate another of these annual fixtures between probably the two oldest clubs in Cornwall, Penryn in 1872, and Falmouth in 1873.

When will people who organise rugby realise that fixtures between local teams have much more appeal than entertaining a team from say 100 miles away? What can be done to make our league system more local? A South West Division that stretches from Lands End to London (Maidenhead) cannot be sensible.

The professional game is here to stay and no one in his or her right mind would deny our National League clubs their many achievements, certainly England would not have achieved two successive World Cup Finals had the game remained as it was 30 years ago. But the "English" League system is not helping those clubs who have not made it too to the National leagues.

It is uncertain when the two clubs began this Boxing Day fixture, but records suggest it was well over 100 years ago.

After early Penryn pressure, Falmouth dominated the first half, and scored all of their points, starting in the third minute when the Borough were penalised for going over the top. Fly half James Instance had no difficulty with the kick and Falmouth were ahead.

They continued to press, but resolute defence kept them out until the 36th minute when right wing Darren Pellow went over in the corner. The conversion was successful and the visitors ended the first half with a ten-point advantage.

The Borough were on top for much of the second half, but failed to score enough points to even the scores. Ben Short came on to play his first game since coming back, whilst Matt Cox, Toby Freeman, Steve Patterson and Alex Stuthridge also featured.

Then in the 65th minute a tap penalty, followed by a threes move saw Taron Peacock go over in the corner, but the conversion failed.

However, Penryn were back in the game and for the last 15 minutes their young team threw every thing at the Falmouth line, but resolute defence by Falmouth's experienced players kept their line intact, and the game ended with the visitors narrowly winning a very demanding game.

In spite of two yellow cards, one for each team, the players all congratulated each other at the end and the day ended with great camaraderie in the bar, and this included some traditional singing in the bar after the game.

So who should act, if at all. It is certain that this huge South West Division is not doing a great deal of good to Cornish Rugby below the National Leagues. Truro rose to South West 1, but could not sustain it, Penryn followed suit, and now seem to be following Truro in a downward slide, although Truro are making a recovert. St Ives seem destined for South West II West, whilst Camborne could also drop a league.

The main fault seems to be the rigidity of the RFU divisional system, with England divided in to four. It has been said before, and will no doubt be said again, that long distance travel cripples a club without the very necessary backing to finance that travel. Every where that the Borough travel club officials make the same or similar comments, but there is no action.

It is 22 years since Falmouth won this game, although last year's game was very close. But whatever the result this is one of the dying traditions of Boxing Day, namely friendly fixtures between clubs, and Penryn v Falmouth goes back a long way. It is a chance to get out after Christmas Day festivities, a chance to renew old friendships and may this annual game between two of Cornwall's oldest clubs continue for many years to come.

Penryn's next Western Counties West league fixture is at Tiverton on Saturday, whilst Falmouth have a difficult game at Cullompton, one of Devon's emerging clubs.

Saturday, January 12, sees the first round of the revised Cornwall Cup. Penryn have a home fixture against Truro, another local derby, whilst Falmouth entertain Bude, who are riding high in Western Counties West.

But back to Boxing Day and nothing has changed on the field in Cornwall's only remaining and meaningful Boxing Day derby where it is still important to win and the best available side fielded, at wherever venue it's played in front of the largest crowd of the season.

It's been 22 long years since Falmouth have beaten the Borough in this traditional fixture, but there has been a draw and some near misses.

The tide has always been flooding up the Penryn river, now perhaps it is ebbing, we shall see?