THE Easter weekend was a celebration of rugby - away from the cut-throat world of the league programme.

No more was it demonstrated than at Ellingham & Ringwood on Good Friday when Surrey Division 1 side Old Freemens joined a Hampshire Women's Development side in dual fixtures against the respective men's and women's teams.

Local rivals E&R and Fordingbridge tackled each other at minis in a handful of demonstration games while the junior sevens also had a run-out.

And it was not just rugby on offer. The much-celebrated Real Ale Festival raised more than £3,000 for the Foresters' imminent move to new premises in Ringwood town.

While results were incidental - for the record, the home side won both, the men 25-14 with a four-try salvo while the ladies warmed up for their National Shield final next weekend with a comfortable 20-5 success over a weakened Hampshire side.

"It was a superb day of excellent rugby and good company," said team manager Steve Anderson. "This was a big party to commemorate what a great season the club has had at all levels. There is a real feelgood factor around the club."

Quite a few of the matches scheduled did not materialise, with Fareham Heathens II's fixture with Paxton Pumas postponed until next week. But Stoneham Park closed their season with a 27-5 defeat at Fordingbridge II.

While the fixture was listed as a third XV game, Trojans and Southampton met with a number of familiar first XV faces in their ranks, the home side winning 41-24 in a game of two halves - all the points scored against a stiff wind at Stoneham Park.

Trojans flew into a 41-0 interval advantage with Henning Kaaber and South African Kevin McVeigh grabbing a brace apiece.

But Julian Robins cancelled out the try he had scored in the first half for the home side with one in his normal red and white colours, while Lee Mauger, club captain Tony Cador and Micky Carter all went over to reduce the arrears by 24 points, but it was not enough.

Sandown & Shanklin hosted three touring sides at their Fairway ground and offered their pitch to two of them to play each other, with Tigers defeating Old Grammarians 47-16 after the home side had been beaten 35-22 by Bedfordshire-based Ampthill.

Eastleigh II put Nomads II away 26-17 with four tries, while Havant Mariners and Portsmouth Vets respective select XVs produced an entertaining display in which the Seamen ran out 38-10 to the good.