The first in a new series looking at the fortunes of west Cornwall's rugby teams.

The Cornish Pirates' season didn't start with quite the bang that they had anticipated, going down to a narrow 24-20 defeat in their RFU Championship Cup opener at London Scottish on Saturday.

The Pirates have added plenty of new faces to their side in the off season, although only one, lock Fa'atiga Lemalu, made their debut in the match.

Defeat in their opening Pool C game was not ideal, but they still have five more matches to go, so plenty of time yet.

The top two are guaranteed to go through, as well as the two best third-placed sides, so the odds are in the Pirates' favour, but they still cannot afford too many more defeats.

Redruth will be hoping for more consistent National League 2 South season this time around after last season's fine start of six wins from seven was eroded by a run of one win from the next ten.

They began brightly this time around when Sam Stevens' last-gasp try rescued a slender win at home to Esher, but followed up with successive defeats to Taunton Titans and Barnes.

Camborne are faring fairly well at this early stage in the South West Premier with two wins to their name from three matches, with the latest a slender 15-14 win at home to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.

The Cherry & Whites suffered a big blow at the end of last season when free-scoring Alex Ducker departed for Plymouth Albion. Ducker scored more than 40 tries for the club last season, and a figure of that size is always going to be difficult to replace, but it bodes well that the Cherry & Whites can still churn out the tries, landing eight of them in their three games so far.

The signs are not looking too good for St Ives, who conceded a second successive South West 1 West fixture on the bounce on Saturday. they were due to visit Crediton at the weekend, but, like they had done seven days earlier when they were due to host Cleve, the Hakes forfeited the fixture.

It is relatively common to see lower-ranked sides concede fixtures towards the end of the season if there is little to play for, but for a sixth-tier club to do it, and so early in the season, is a real concern.

To make matters worse, Director of Rugby, Joff Rowe, resigned from his position last week.

Hopefully the Hakes' fortunes will take a turn for the better soon.

Penryn and Falmouth have made respectable starts to their respective Western Counties West campaigns, with both sides winning one of three games so far this term.

Newly promoted Penryn started in style with victory over Saltash, but fell just short of an excellent result at St Austell before a disappointing 6-12 defeat at home to Teignmouth on Saturday.

They will want a second win soon but they are already looking competitive in their return to the league after a three-year absence.

Falmouth have been dealt a difficult start to the season, having to face three of the four non-promoted sides that finished above them last season in their first three games this year.

Defeats to Tiverton and Wadebridge Camels were disappointing but not too surprising, but a bonus-point win at home to Wellington at the weekend was a fantastic result.

Truro have made a blistering start to life back in the Cornwall/Devon League. The club suffered an agonising relegation from the Western Counties West on the final day of last season in a dramatic defeat to Falmouth, but they have dusted themselves off and began their campaign with three straight wins.

Not just regular wins, either. They started with a 62-12 hammering of Exeter Athletic, before annihilating Lanner by 92 points to five the following week to leave their points difference at 137 after just two games.

It was a much closer affair at Liskeard-Looe on Saturday, winning 32-15, but Truro are already looking well placed for an immediate return to the Western Counties.