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| Revised on: Saturday, 23 June, 2007 | |
Senior XV - End of Season Report
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Reporter - WO2 Andy Price Welsh Guards - Head Coach Army Senior XV. The Centenary season (2006-07) of the ARU, started for the Senior XV prior to Christmas 2006 with 2 training and trial sessions. This culminated with a trial side that heavily defeated the Army Veterans in early January, scoring 7 tries. The victory against Cambridge University Blues (W 31-15) at the end of January was used for the final few squad places to be decided. | |
The 29-man squad (including 11 uncapped players) was announced in early February, along with the new coaching team. The squad did change during the season, with injury and the loss of form meaning some were to miss out, with an additional 3 uncapped players advancing from the resurrected A team. The settled 31-man squad by mid February contained 14 uncapped players. February and March 2007 saw the senior squad meet and play 4 times. The first against Oxford University was a lesson in wet weather rugby from the Blues (L14-30). At the forefront was Australian international Joe Roff, whose experience and tactical kicking overcame the Army, as we tried to play too much rugby!! The other 3 games, Plymouth Albion (W 29-14), Oxbridge (W 48-24) and Esher (W 41-24), were all good victories at Aldershot. With the latter two games bringing over 40 points in each for the reds. We had by now established a dazzling style of free flowing attractive rugby, that was both entertaining and more importantly winning. |
 Nacamavuto side steps the Esher defence - 2007 |
And so on to April and our biggest game yet. The Centenary celebration, against the world famous invitational side, The Barbarians at the Twickenham Stoop. 11 of the Army's 22 for the game were uncapped. The large crowd and the Sky TV audience weren't to be disappointed. | |
 Army XV v Barbarians - 2007 |
The game, although not high scoring (L 0-14), was highly entertaining. The defensive effort by the army was like anything previously seen. The hard work by the players and Defence Coach Sean Fanning (AMS) clearly starting to bear fruit. Even though the Barbarians ran out narrow victors, the message sent out to the other services was loud and strong. The Army are well on course!! The only disappointing part of the day was loosing hooker Alex Whittaker (2 Yorks) to a cruel knee ligament injury. Alex suffered a hip injury at the same time last season, missing out on a cap for the last 2 seasons. We all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to him getting that elusive cap! The Army Man of the Match was Mark Lee (SCOTS). |
The final game prior to the Inter-Service Championship was at The Recreation Ground, Bath. The Bath A team, including 7 age group internationals were a good, strong, fit and cohesive outfit. The pace of the game was lightening quick and the large partisan crowd of West Country folk were royally entertained. After going behind to 2 tries in the first 5 minutes. The Army hit back only just failing to win at the death, when the ref ruled a forward pass and disallowed a try that would of stolen the win. Even though a 28-26 loss. The game was to stand us in good stead and convince us all that the style of play was the right one to take into the Inter-Services. | |
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The build up to the RAF game was 5 days training in Germany. Hosted by Col Ritson Harrison Chairman BA(G) Rugby and Lt Col Mick Manning QM UKSG. With competition for places high, the 22 was announced. It included 8 new caps. The game on a warm summer like evening in Aldershot started slowly. Eventually the style being turned on by the Army. Eight tries in all, 2 to (England 7s international) Isoa Damudamu (RLC), another brace to man of the Match, Ledua Jope (AGC). The others being scored by Perceli Nacamavuto (RE), Malakai Magnus (RLC), Steve Trethewey (REME) and the outstanding skipper Mal Roberts (RLC). |
Malkai Magnus - Army v RAF - 2007 |
| Some were disappointed with the 52-10 score line, this was probably due to the lack of finishing quality. True we weren't that clinical. But 52 points in an Inter-service fixture is a great feat and one that the squad and back up staff can be proud of. It was a real squad effort with 8 senior and first choice players missing out. Again to some the slightly de-powered team selection was a surprise. It was in truth, a selection made with the knowledge that it was a 4 capped game, long hard season and that all of the squad was well capable and worthy of wearing a capped army shirt. The victory was well celebrated by a really close-knit group. | |
 Army lift - Army v Navy 2007 (Photo: Lt Col Neil Jordan RE) |
And so to Twickenham and the showdown with the old enemy. It was widely known that the Navy 'fancied their chances' and why shouldn't they? A more convincing win against the light blues than us, and an army team sporting 9 changes. The game has been widely reported on, so I won't go into it too much here. Only to quote the Navy coach Cdr Mark Deller (who has transformed the way the navy play the game, for the better!!!) when he wrote to me and said, "…I sensed your pack were gently smashing our tight 5 to pieces and we were living off scraps wherever we could…." high praise indeed for the unsung heroes. The game was a great spectacle and everyone there enjoyed the sunshine, the rugby and the beer. Also worth a mention are the players that left us after the game, as they were not available to tour. We lost scrum half James Gill (AMS) to his finals at Oxford and hooker Rob Scothern (3 Yorks) to work commitments. A great win and a great game for the neutral. Man of the Match Perceli Nacamavuto. |
The Centenary tour was a great chance to take our brand of rugby to foreign shores. After a gruelling journey Down Under, we arrived at our Sydney HQ and prepared well for our test match. We even went to the opera!! The Aussies were having an Indian summer and the Pomms ran riot in the sunshine at Randwick Rugby Club. The Army scored 6 unanswered tries against the shell-shocked, fighting Australian team. Apolosi Satala (SCOTS) bagged a hat-trick in front of a large Fijian following (including his brother, who plays pro rugby for our host club) Andy Evans (RLC) the other centre also scored, it capped off a Man of the Match performance for the rejuvenated centre. Wingers Ben Seru (RE) and Makakai Magnus also scored as they had done against the Navy. Rob Sweeney (Welsh Guards) bagged 3 conversions. The statistic that the tries were all scored by outside backs shows just how stylish the Reds played the game and entertained the crowd. We left Australia victorious (W 36-0), saying farewell to Chris Budgen (WELSH) who left us to deploy on Ops. 
Lineout - Rob Sugden preparing to be lifted by Steve TretheweyBritish Army v Australian Army - 2007 Finally the trip across the Tasmin Sea, to New Zealand. We were well administered by the UK DA, Col Nigel Lloyd. The squad was welcomed to Trentham Camp in the traditional Maori way, which was a great experience, as was our singing in response. The Tuesday game against the NZ Army rugby academy was a fast feisty encounter, with the team led by Darrell Ball (RE) victorious by 43 - 15, scoring 7 tries along the way, 3 by the impressive Zac Vacasawaqa (RE). |
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Palmerston North was the venue for the test match and the last time this Squad would be together. I reminded the group that for some this would be their last involvement with the Senior XV team. For some, the last time they would don the red shirt. It seemed to do the trick. In front of a hostile crowd the team once again rose to the occasion. Credit to the hosts, they managed to stop us playing. However, they didn't really play themselves. They were content to smash into rucks and played with sometimes over exuberant strong-arm tactics. The ever present and cornerstone of the pack Steve Trethewey scored the only try after a long period of pressure. The Army were again winners against NZ, this time a close encounter 11-6, the fourth time the army has won in 12 years. Man of the match was Ben Hughes (RE). The match left us with a few casualties: Rob Sugden has had surgery on a broken hand. Ledua Jope (voted by the squad as the Player of the Season) hospitalised with his ankle, Georgie Kemble (WELSH) with 7 stitches in his eye and finally Andy Evans who broke his wrist in 4 places during the game and carried on playing!!! |
 Leuda Jope voted by the Squad Player of the Season |
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The Centenary season was a great success. Two men have played for their countries. Isoa Damudamu, 7s for England and Apolosi Satala, 15s for Fiji. Satala, is currently in Fiji and is in the world cup training squad. We all wish him well with his quest to feature in the 15s world cup. A GRAND SLAM of capped match wins, led by the mercurial Mal Roberts. A year that saw 35 players wear the red shirt with passion, pride and honour. 10 new caps awarded. A massive part of our success can be attributed to the members of management, medical and coaching staff, far too many to mention here, but who all played a big part behind the scenes. As 9 of the group deploy on operations over the summer, we wish them well and a safe return. That statistic alone is one to be proud of, proving that we really are soldiers first and foremost. Senior XV - 2007 Playing Record
Senior XV - 2007 Capped Matches
Read all the Season's match reports in the March to Twickenham 2007 Read the 2007 Army Navy Match report at www.armynavymatch.org.uk Read the ARU Centenary Tour match reports |
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