With seven wins from nine matches so far this season, Upper Eden travelled to Manchester in confident mood on Saturday. But an improving Aldwinians team surprised them with a winning display of forward power.

For the second match running, Upper Eden failed to play the weather conditions as well as they minght. There was a strong wind and, after playing into it in the first half, the men from the Eden valley did not kick enough for field position and as a result were very much second best in the end.

Making use of a solid platform provided by their forwards, Aldwinians scored two penalties and two tries in the first half. Then they scored a try from a charge-down before Upper Eden could reply with a try from a rolling maul. The wind limited Aldwinians to just one conversion, making the final score 23-5.

The general consensus afterwards was that had the match been a month ago, Upper Eden might well have won. However, Aldwinians have made great strides in their overall game and are nowe emerging as one of the stronger teams in the Lancashire/Cumbria division.

Upper Eden Boars should have played Furness at Pennine Park on Saturday but, when they pulled out, ended up playing a Lancaster University XV.

The students wrere on fine form and ended up winning 29-25 after a thrilling encounter in which South African recruit Tabani Sangweri made a notable forward debut for the Boars at number seven.

Lancaster caught the Boars napping at a tap penalty to score the first match's first try before the home side replied with a Johnny Seer try of their own, converted by Mike Hughes. But Lancaster came straight back with a try in the corner scored by their speedy left winger. In fact, the whole of the Lancaster back line proved very lively and the same winger went on to complete his hat-trick with some excellent running once on the move. The Boars added a penalty through Hughes to level the score at half-time.

The second half saw some fine movement, handling and running by both sides - including that of three new South Africans. Wing forward Sangweri added a try converted by Hughes, before big gaps in defence were exploited by Lancaster for two more tries. Then scrum half Gavin Sissons went over in a corner and Hughes added a penalty, after Sangweri was tripped in front of the posts, to ensure a grandstand finish.