THERE was a gala day feeling at Penryn Rugby Club just before Christmas when a former players' reunion and the official opening of the refurbished stand took place.

Roger Hosen, the former Penryn, Northampton and England player, had the honour of opening the stand, and the occasion was graced by the presence of Penryn's Mayor, Mrs V Bennett and her Consort, and Peter Michell, president of the CRFU.

In 1947, Roger Hosen, a young lad from Mabe, turned out for the Borough and Ray Plummer, currently the club president, soon joined him. Ray was a scrum half and with Roger provided a very talented half back combination at the time.

Roger' Hosen's teaching career as a PE master eventually led him to Cheltenham, where he joined Bristol and met up with Ken Plummer, the speedy winger whose first of four England caps was won in 1969.

Ken, Penryn's chairman, spent most of his playing career at Bristol, where he captained the club and appeared over 500 times, plus winning over 50 caps for Cornwall.

The club is grateful to Mr Harry de Ville of De Ville and Lear Ltd, who carried out the construction work and Arena Seating from Hungerford, Berkshire, who provided and installed the stand seats.

The club wishes to say a great, big thank you to all of those who donated money for the seats, many of whom were present at the ceremony. The response from members, sponsors and citizens of Penryn was tremendous and was sufficient to cover all the costs of the seats.

The club has now purchased floodlights and the next project is to add a second set of changing rooms under the newly-opened stand, free up the old changing facilities for social, dining and other events, and obtain funding for lighting towers.