PRESIDENT’S XV 12 Exiles XV 15 (Andy Millar Memorial Trophy).

Petersfield’s traditional Boxing Day game attracted 50 or so players and many more supporters to Penns Place where there was a warm welcome for all.

The absence of a referee caused an early crisis, but Andrew White, son of former Scotland forward Derek White, and a qualified referee, sacrificed his desire to play and took charge of the whistle.

The President versus Exiles fixture is intended to reunite players who have moved away from the club and also enables fathers to play alongside their sons.

This was the fifth Andy Millar Trophy match, dedicated to the memory of a man who did so much for the club.

There was no doubting the committment of the sides in this ‘friendly’ and it soon became clear that they were evenly matched. It took until the second quarter for the Exiles to take the lead through Franko Tomic.

Harley Orr scored between the posts for the President, but an overlap enabled the visitors to take a 10-7 lead into half-time.

The Exiles kicked off the second half and recovered the ball almost immediately for Jack Glancy to scoot through a disorganised defence and score under the posts. Glancy’s conversion attempt ricocheted back off the upright.

The President’s men threw everything into attack and eventually Orr broke through for his second try.

It was all cut-and-thrust in the final minutes, but the Exiles ran the clock down and hung onto their three-point advantage.

Jack Glancy received the trophy from Celia Millar and her son Iain.