Celebration events to mark the end of this year's rugby season have taken place in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, bringing together teams from across the three-counties for the special awards evenings hosted by St Austell Brewery.

As well as celebrating the success of the clubs which won their leagues, the evenings also marked the finish of a second season of the Brewery's award-winning Tribute Ale sponsoring grass roots rugby across the region.

Officials from the RFU Constituency Bodies and the South West Competitions Committees joined players and Brewery representatives to raise a glass and present winning clubs with their trophies for the Tribute Leagues at the events held at St Austell Brewery, Torquay RFC and Weston-Super-Mare RFC.

In Cornwall, highlights of the evening included Penryn RFC, collecting the trophy for coming top of the Tribute Cornwall/Devon, Stithians Rugby Club for clenching the top title in the Tribute Cornwall 1 league and Veor Rugby Club for the top title in Tribute Cornwall 2 league.

For winning their leagues in Devon, Cullompton RFC were awarded for coming top of the Tribute Western Counties West league, Teignmouth Rugby Club for clenching the top title in the Tribute Devon 1 league and New Cross for the top title in Tribute Devon 2 league. 

In Somerset, it was a fitting venue, with the home club's second team, Weston-Super-Mare collecting the trophy for winning the Tribute Somerset Two South league and the club's third team were awarded the top spot in the Tribute Somerset 3 South league.

Other honours went to Taunton RFC for winning the Tribute South West 2 West League and Burnham on Sea RFC, for coming top of the Tribute Somerset Premier league.

At each event St Austell Brewery also handed out their own "Tribute, You've earned it" award to the Club they felt had faced the toughest season. In Cornwall the award was handed to St Just RFC in Tribute Cornwall League 1 in recognition of their continual perseverance throughout the season. In Devon the award went to award to New Cross RFC in recognition of winning the Tribute Devon 2 league after only being established for two years and in Somerset, Taunton RFC were awarded the trophy for winning all of their games this season.

David Chatterton, President of Cornwall RFU said: "Once again St Austell Brewery hosted a very enjoyable evening for the teams and officials from across Cornwall to celebrate an eventful rugby season. The Brewery's sponsorship makes a significant impact on grass roots rugby and we're delighted the relationship between Cornwall's best game and Cornwall's best beer, Tribute goes from strength to strength."

Jeremy Mitchell, St Austell Brewery Head of Marketing said: "We were delighted to bring many of the county's local clubs together and mark the end of another exciting season. St Austell Brewery is very proud to support the South West rugby leagues for a second season and our involvement has seen Tribute Ale firmly established as the official beer of South West Rugby."

Tribute Ale has enjoyed a phenomenal year, and just this month sales were announced as being up 33 per cent to April 2009 compared to last year. It means Tribute - now a UK Top 10 premium cask ale - made up more than two-thirds of the draft beer sold by the Brewery so far this year.

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