OLD Penarthians Rugby Club has started the season with a new sponsor for their first XV shirts and training tops. The shirts now carry the name of Actis, a leading pan European insulation company and the training tops are supplied by TSL Projects Ltd.

The partnerships were announced just before the club’s opening home league match against Ferndale on September 12 – and it obviously acted as an extra spur to the team as they won 22 -19.

Actis is a company based in France, however there is very much a local ‘feel’ to the new shirt deal. The company’s UK and Ireland director, Matthew King lives in Penarth and is a member of the club. Indeed, Actis are already sponsors of Old Penarthians’ mini and junior section and are keen to see the senior players interact with their junior counterparts to ensure that the link is maintained and encouraged.

TSL Projects Ltd are a high care design and build engineering and construction company with considerable expertise and experience in delivering projects within the sensitive environments of the pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. Their general manager, James Beasley, is also a member of the club through an involvement with the junior section and wants to ensure that the company’s business approach of working closely with clients and partners can also be achieved in the community through an engagement with the local club.

Jon Vaughan, the chairman of the Old Penarthians, endorsed the connection with the two company representatives at the recent launch of the sponsorship arrangements by saying that the club was very pleased that Matt and James wanted to bring their companies on board and establish a strong identity from the youngest players in the mini and junior section to the senior playing team.

The players are also taking to their new kit as the first team continued their success at the beginning of the 2015/16 in Division 3 East (C) of the WRU league structure by winning their third successive match, this time against local rivals Sully Sports.

The match played in Sully on Saturday, September 19 was a 33 points to 15 victory to Old Penarthians.

Both sides scored three tries with Lloyd Davey, Alex Cook and Liam Union scoring for the Old Pens. It was however the consistency of Jonathan Crimp’s kicking that was to prove the difference as he contributed 18 points.

The coaches, whilst pleased at the result, were however critical of some of the decision making and some poor defending that resulted in the three tries that were conceded. It is however pleasing that those criticisms can be levelled at a side that is currently unbeaten and shows the standards that are now expected by Simon Hurley and Anthony Davies.

The seconds also had a local match last weekend when they made the very short trip across Lavernock Road to play Penarth's second team at the Recreation Ground. It is thought to be the first fixture between the clubs at second XV level and Penarth proved far too strong by winning by 56 points to nil.

Penarthians did not however give up and battled all the way with Alun Haines leading from the front together with son Craig playing his first game for five months. Jamie Brockless tackled well and the back row of James Williams, Dave Mason and Mitch Penberthy were always in the thick of the action.

The match also proved that Mark ‘Crevvie’ Curtis is no Barry John when he attempted a kick ahead with three men on his outside waiting for the try scoring pass.

Next Saturday sees the firsts travel to Cowbridge in the SWALEC Bowl competition. This will be a good measure of the progress that the club has made as Cowbridge narrowly defeated the team twice last season. The seconds play at home to Pontyclun.

The matches both kick off at 2.30pm and should act as entertaining curtain raisers to the match between England and Wales in the Rugby World Cup that starts at 8pm.