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| Revised on: Thursday, 10 May, 2007 | |
Army Veterans Match Reports
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Army
(53) v Navy (3) - 5 May 07
Army (30) v RAF (10) - 25 Apr 07
Army Veterans (53) - Royal Navy Ancient Mariners
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Army Rugby Union Veterans convincingly beat the Royal Navy Ancient Mariners 53:0 at Kneller Hall to regain the Veterans Inter-Services title. On a colder morning than was forecast, the Army Veterans Rugby Team was clearly boiling as they lined up against their Royal Navy arch enemies to decide the Inter Service Veterans Rugby Competition in this the ARU Centenary Year. With the formalities over, thanks to the Royal Navy Reserve Band and salute taken by General Sir Richard Dannatt, President of the ARU, and watched by a crowd of about 1500, the match got underway. After a blistering first 20 minutes, the Army Veterans stunned their opponents with salvo after salvo of penetrating attacks and found themselves 26 points ahead thanks to tries by Major Mike Nawaqaliva (RLC), SSgt Taff Reed (RE) and 2 from WO1 Hywell Thomas (REME) with conversions also by Reed. Following a severe injury to the ever present and explosive Major Mike Campbell (RLC), the pressure lapsed but the Army never released its iron grip on the match. The Navy hardly had a look-in as their minor frays into the Army half were constantly snuffed out by fierce defensive tackling from Army players. Late in the second half, after regrouping and further replacements, the Army reasserted its dominance with tries from Skipper Major Steve Burton (AGC), WO2 Taff Lock, Sgt Dale Jeffries (RA) and 2 from SSgt Andy Kershaw; a conversion by SSgt Kevin Davies (RE) sealed a complete and well deserved victory. |
 Leigh Woodhouse  Hywel Thomas |
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Following this calculated delivery of controlled rugby, coach, Capt Ian Wilkins (AGC), was delighted at the team's performance. Chairman of the Army Veterans, Lt Col Andy Allen (REME) said "following last years narrow defeat, we wanted a clinical and emphatic win in order to re-establish ourselves as the number one Services veterans' team. What you witnessed today was probably the best Army Veterans team to grace the Inter-services tournament. Our ultimate goal is Gold at the 2009 World Masters in Sydney Australia, and this win sets the platform on which to build a winning team". Other Army team scores:
Posted: 10 May 07 |
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Army Veterans (30) v RAF Vultures (10)
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| The Army turned around 13-0 up but were aware that it should have been more. They set about rectifying this early in the second half and Hammett came very close when, unaware that he was being ably supported by both SSgt Steve Emm (RE) and WO2 Mark Botten (RLC) decided to take a direct approach through 2 RAF defenders and whilst the mind was willing the body wasn’t and one dislocated shoulder AC joint later saw the end of his match. He did manage to win a penalty five yards out and skipper and No8 Maj Steve Burton (AGC) elected to take a scrum. The Army pack had been dominant throughout and no-one more so than tight-head Sgt Andy Jackson (AGC) who was destroying his opposite number in the set piece. 3 collapsed scrums by the pressurised RAF 8 saw the referee lose patience and award a well-deserved penalty try. |  |
The Army’s final try came from a well rehearsed back row move; Burton picked up and fed scrum half Lt Col Steve Pyle (AGC) who managed to attract the attention of 2 defenders before popping the ball to blind side flanker Maj Mike Campbell (RLC) who then had the simple job of crossing the try line in the corner to score. With one lock, SSgt Andy Smith (RLC), already taking all kicks from hand up stepped the other, SSgt Kev Davies (RE) to nail the conversion from the touch line. A couple of poor tackles enabled the RAF to get a couple of consolation trys before a Davies penalty concluded the scoring. Coach Wilkins was rightly satisfied by the performance, 'I asked them to give me a controlled performance and other than a short spell in the second half when the team came to terms with some replacements that's exactly what I got'. Veterans' Chairman Lt Col Andy Allen (REME) was quick to refocus minds, 'this was an excellent start to our Inter-Services campaign against a robust and talented RAF XV however a start is all that it was - we must now lift our performance against the Navy to ensure the season's success'. Man of the Match: WO1 Lee Woodhouse | |
On-Song Army down VulturesReporter/Photographer: Roger Thompson This was a triumph of Army fitness and experience over Royal Air Force ambition. Beating the RAF Vultures by 30pts-10 the Army Over 35s took the first step towards the Inter Services Championship, with all to play for on Army v Navy Day, at Kneller Hall on Saturday 5th May. Even with seven former Army full caps this was no roll-over as the Vultures tackled well and certainly ran the ball at every opportunity-frequently to effect. Scrum half Paul Keen had a quick-fire service and launched a series of attacks when the Airmen were apparently on the back foot. |
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Two penalties by Andy Deans and a 15 minute 'walk-in' try by 'Tom Tom' Turagebeci, converted by Deans, settled the nerves. With supremacy in the set scrums and Barbarian Smudge Smith ruling the lines-out, the Army had a constant supply of good ball which somehow they managed to squander at the first opportunity. With the craft and experience of threequarters like Dale Jefferies, Mark Botten and Turagebeci the Army should have been making huge inroads into the air defence. With wings like Hywel Thomas and Steve Emm the airmen should have been choking in the exhausts of their afterburners. |
| Too frequently the ball was turned inside to the back row to present the RAF with another chance to scrap on the deck-which they used to good effect. It also reduced the distance the RAF cover had to bridge to have any influence on the ball. | |
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Nevertheless the Army played this match well in control of the major issues for the majority of the match and outscored the RAF by four tries to two. The back row of Leigh Woodhouse, Mike Campbell and Steve Burton knew what they were about and confined the Light Blues back row largely to spectators. Woodhouse ripped into the defence whilst Campbell thundered over for a well engineered try. One particularly fierce quick clear-out presented the ball to Hywel Thomas who made a bee line for the left hand corner to score with light blue dripping all over his shoulders. A cracking try at any level. It's the Royal Navy next. When, not if, the Army move the ball wide as a team and their talented players make use of their skills it should be a fascinating encounter. Army Veterans v The Ancient Mariners |
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