They don't own their grounds, they don't pay players, they train once a week on less than half a pitch, they have a pub for a clubhouse and yet they are thriving as rugby clubs - perm any one from 3 such Level 7 clubs in London Cornish, London Exiles and Hammersmith & Fulham RFC, all of whom were playing within touching distance of one another on adjoining pitches at Barn Elms playing fields on Saturday. The RFU would do well to establish how such clubs are bucking the trend as, on the evidence of this season, that progress will continue for all of these clubs in one form or another. Cornish won this match by 2 goals, a try and 5 penalties to 3 penalties, and in the process extended the period during which they have not conceded a try away from home in league rugby to 323 minutes, covering the entire matches at Warlingham, Cobham, Andover and now London Exiles.

A few changes from the previous week saw Rory Ling return up front in place of Mike Bond, Ben Ievers return at lock in place of Joe Bough, and Chris Smart given a full debut at 13 in place of Joe Donnelly. The match began on one of the furthest pitches from the changing rooms at Barnes in a bitterly cold wind (which made note taking nigh on impossible), and Cornish began playing up the hill and slightly into the very strong wind. Right from the off Cornish had a clear advantage in the tight, a vital component on a cold day when there were frequent knock-ons. Though the visitors had plenty of early territory, they were thwarted by excellent d by Exiles, a feature of the match throughout the opening hour. With their first foray into Cornish territory, the home side landed a long range penalty, and this was equalised by one from Phil Dale on 15. Dale was on target again on 20 after Ben Ievers had pinched a home lineout, and Smart had smashed his way into midfield, where Exiles were pinged. The tit for tat nature of the penalties continued, the home side landing one to level up on 22, Dale nudging his side back in front on 28 following another Smart break, and Exiles making it 9-9 on 32. The final scoring act of the half came on 36 when Dale, now assisted by Harry Somers holding the ball on the tee in the strong wind, drove over another kick to give his side a 12-9 half time lead.

When Exiles missed an ambitious long range penalty on 43 (into the wind, it nearly launched a Cornish attack!), they would not have known that they would not get close to visitors 22 for any extended period again in the match. Battering away around the fringes with Matt Johnson and Mark Osei-Tutu prominent, Cornish gradually built pressure, wing Tom Jeffery an increasing presence in the game as Ed Atkin frequently sought the giant wing off first phase. On 53 minutes Cornish brought on Simon Brading for Osei-Tutu and fly half Tom Hupfield for Dale, Hupfield a former Exiles player prior to his stint with Barnes in the National Leagues. A penalty miss by the visitors on 56 minutes saw only brief respite for Exiles, and when Will Carew-Gibbs pinched a ball against the head on 62, the home side conceded a penalty landed by full back Josh Allison (pictured) to take the lead out to 6. Suddenly it appeared Exiles legs had gone, for now those same carries around the fringes and in midfield were punching huge holes, Craig Chatley the beneficiary making huge yardage in the closing minutes. On 65 minutes, Ben Ievers pinched another lineout (the home hooker had given everything in a losing cause but he looked absolutely spent by this point), and Cornish set a huge rolling maul, which was stopped illegally. Sensing the moment, Skip Dave Theobald order a kick to the corner, and when the maul was set, the home 19 was binned for stopping it illegally again. Theobald elected for a scrum, but rather than go for the push over, the Cornish back row drew in the d, before a perfectly flighted pass from Hupfield took out the remaining defenders inviting Allison to run in unopposed wide left, a score he converted himself to make it 22-9. When the restart was worked to Carew-Gibbs, the reigning Cornish Player of the Season launched a fantastic run up the right flank, supported by the ubiquitous Tom Ievers. Though the ball was scrambled out of play on half way, the line out was won on the floor by Theobald, and Cornish launched another rampaging maul, again stopped illegally and again kicked to 5 out on the right hand flank. What followed was comedy, for it almost appeared the home side set up their open side, him seemingly understanding that they were not going to contest the lineout, and shooting around the side of the resultant maul to take out the ball carrier only to find that his team mates had contested, as clear a candidate for a card as you will ever see and not one missed by the referee! Cornish elected to scrum, and after twice being pinged as they headed backwards over their line, Exiles gave the referee no option with the third, the penalty try converted by Allison to give his side an unassailable 29-9 lead. With time almost up it was all Cornish now, and a fantastic passage of play saw forwards and backs linking before Atkin hit Hupfield, and he in turn sent Carew-Gibbs through a gap on the 22. He drew the last man before sending a delighted Somers over wide right for the final scoring act of the match, the missed conversion signalling the final whistle.

Exiles have already made their mark on this league, but a bitterly cold day in a driving wind is perhaps not the best weather to see them at their best, as they did not get close to scoring a try on this day and looked shot well before the final whistle. Their defence was magnificent however, and they only really gave best in the final quarter. They are a decent bunch of lads and many of the players from the two clubs know each other, so there was a great atmosphere in the Red Lion post match.

Cornish have a bye in the Cup next week, so a week off before the final 3 matches of the year. It may well take that long for any pattern to really emerge in the league, but this was a decent performance against an in-form side and a step up on the previous couple, so it augurs well for the pre Xmas offensive.