Carlisle Rugby Club and Penrith will field different line-ups tomorrow to the ones that did battle last weekend in the Cumbria Cup.

Anyone who had the slightest twinge or ache was excused duty so that the semi-final was virtually a 2nd XV against a Mixed XV, with the eyes of both coaches set firmly on this weekend’s league action in North One West.

It’s sad how the showpiece of the county season has become just a sideshow as the Cumbria Cup final struggles to regain its old place in the pecking order.

At least there has been a bit more order to the competition, with only one withdrawal and the bulk of the competition done and dusted by early November.

Penrith will contest the end-of-season final, so can concentrate on league matters until then, while Kendal and St Benedict’s are down to play their delayed semi-final on December 29.

The Cumbria Cup has no sponsor, and it’s difficult to see in its present guise, how a good-sized company would want to get involved.

A start has been made, however, with the early rounds being fitted in on free league weekends, and if the final is the last game of the season, there might still be hope of financial backing.

What is needed, of course, is a major sponsorship deal with cash incentives to clubs, enough to interest the bigger clubs, even though the early rounds are sandwiched between league matches.

It’s a long shot, given the concentration of the bigger clubs on their league fixtures, but if a suitable sponsor with some financial clout does come forward, we might see a welcome revival of the competition.

Penrith were good value for their 29-7 win and it was really built on scoring three tries inside the first ten minutes – the opener by Josh Dowson after 21 seconds.

They had increased their advantage to 29-0 at the break. Ryan Lee, Tom Lindsay, Ed Swale and Adam Howe scored the other Penrith tries with Nathan Woof adding two conversions.

The only score of the second half was a try for Carlisle by Mark Armiger.

There was no doubt Penrith were the better side, but the score flattered them somewhat, and Carlisle realised in the second half when the game had gone, that there were opportunities to get closer to the visitors. They just couldn’t quite convert them, and Penrith defended well enough to prevent any further scores for Carlisle.

Carlisle were always going to struggle in this game after leaking three tries inside 10 minutes, and perhaps unfamiliarity with positions, defence patterns etc contributed to this.

Those who stepped up to the plate for Carlisle were no B-listers. They ran and fought and tackled all afternoon for the club, and the shirt they wore.

Carlisle resume their league programme tomorrow amidst a feast of rugby at Warwick Road which starts at 1pm with the Colts playing Darlington Mowden Park in the second round of the National Cup.

At 2.15pm both the first XV, hosting Stockport in North One West and the Crusaders, taking on Cumbria League Two leaders Silloth, get under way.

Penrith are also back in league action at home, with Warrington as their visitors and the kick-off will be 3pm to make full use of the new facilities and the floodlights.

Both could be tricky fixtures, despite the home advantage as the Cumbrian pair take on two capable opponents.

Stockport, who visit Warwick Road, played their twice-postponed league game at home to Douglas last Saturday and won 24-0 to leapfrog their rivals and go second, four points behind Carlisle. So it really is North One West’s match of the day.

Penrith are sixth, eight points behind Carlisle and their visitors Warrington are a place below and two points worse off.

On the face of it, two close encounters can be expected with the Cumbrians hoping home advantage will shade it.

The Cumbria League also resumes tomorrow where the match of the day will be at Lowmoor Road where Wigton entertain Cockermouth.

They lie third and fourth in the table with the hosts three points ahead of their rival but six points behind leaders who are at home to Upper Eden.

Aspatria, who trail Keswick by three points visit St. Benedict’s - and that could be a potential banana skin as Benny’s are the only team to have beaten the League leaders so far.

Whitehaven, currently bottom of the table, host improving Hawcoat Park in the fourth league game.

Matches in Cumbria League Two are: Carlisle Crusaders v Silloth; Creighton v Moresby; Furness v Wigton Wanderers; Millom v Windermere; Workington v Aspatria Eagles.