POCKLINGTON RUFC stage one of their biggest days of the year on Boxing Day with the annual Town v Gown festive encounter and reunion.

The centrepiece is the match between Pocklington and the Pocklington School old boys side, Old Pocklingtonians, kicking off at 1pm.

The town v school fixture is Pocklington's longest standing sporting occasion - the first game between the two goes way back to 1879.

And since being established as a traditional Christmas fixture in the 1980s, it has gone on to become one of the highlights of the Pock rugby calendar with a number of old Pocklingtonians who only come back home once or twice a year always making it down to Percy Road to meet old friends on Boxing Day afternoon.

The game has invariably drawn a crowd of 500-plus in recent years.

Pocklington and Old Pocklingtonians will be battling it out for the Bottomley Trophy, given by the family of George Bottomley who was both a Pocklington School old boy and a founder member of Pocklington RUFC.

The clubhouse reunion afterwards has also become as much a part of the day as the rugby, with the Old Pocklingtonian Association also supporting the proceedings by sponsoring the post match buffet.

The last two years have produced fine entertainment, with both games ending in draws.

The school stormed into a comfortable lead both times before being reeled in by a second-half Pocklington comeback, the 2016 game ending 29-29 and last year's clash finishing 26-26.