THE sun shone to warm the somewhat ageing bones of several of the 1994 Malvern 'Twickenham' side who had not set foot on a rugby field for some years.

MALVERN 'PILKINGTON SHIELD' XV 72PTS, HEREFORD & WORCESTER SELECT XV 10PTS

A guest two counties side culled from players at Pershore, Ledbury and Bromyard, with reinforcements from Spring Lane, found the old campaigners game for one last outing.

Andy Ridley, the triumphant skipper was inspirational all afternoon and continued to rekindle the 'Spirit of 94'. Simon Dixon, who had retired earlier in the season having played alongside his son, was the first to rediscover the old vigour. With only four minutes gone, he sashayed through on the overlap to open the account, then five minutes later scythed his way through to set up 'HQ hero' Dave Grundy's conversion.

The guests came back with a score but some slick Malvern inter-passing saw Gareth Richards set Grundy away for a try which he converted. Steve Cooper, still a first team regular, went on a 30 metre charge to increase the lead then some great support play ended with Darren Handy adding a try.

The Select side pulled back another score when Chris Gittings of Ledbury went over after a catch and drive just before half time, when referee Andy Morris made way for his colleague Dave Meek.

Any thoughts of the pace flagging in the second period were quickly dispelled as Richards scored again, the number 10 then linking up with Dave Beech to put Brian Philpotts in.

However, the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for the ever popular Chris Campion, still a colossus of a prop, when he rampaged through in unstoppable mode. With the ever young Dave Green always busy at scrum half, old warhorse Paul Morewood in sparkling form at hooker and Steve Fahey looking as sure as he did a decade before, the Malvern side were turning on some vintage rugby.

Dave Blinstone rediscovered his taste for the game after many years away with some driving runs, and whilst Ledbury skipper Matt Williams and his cohorts tried their hardest to stem the tide, the veterans were determined to party.

Dave Beech put Billy Bruton away on a blistering scoring run from 40 metres out, and then added to the tally himself with a classic try. Campion then crowned his own afternoon with a second charge to the line, converting his own try and Richard Fleming closed the proceedings after a jinking run.

The result was almost immaterial. The large crowd saw two teams playing open, clean and enjoyable rugby football, whilst the special bond from the heady Twickenham days proved to be as tight as ever.