The Army and the Royal Navy have been battling for rugby supremacy since 1878. In 1920 the fixture moved to Twickenham to take advantage of the magnificent facilities offered by the RFU at the home of English rugby. In 2009 the Army celebrated with an eighth successive victory against the Navy. However, this was another hard fought match and the result belied the Navy's commitment and passion. Could 2010 be the year when the Dark Blues turn the tables to overcome the rampant Reds? |  | ||
An Army win on 1 May would mean nine successive victories but, frankly, the result can never be taken for granted. So often the outcome is wrapped up in a series of imponderables such as morale, preparation and of course operational tours of duty. Behind the experienced Army front row of Chris Budgen (Exeter), Matt Wyatt (Worcester) and Melvyn Lewis (Builth) the back row will feature Apo Satala now with Gloucester and skipper Mark Lee, a Barbarian and former captain of Scotland 7s. Big Joe Kava is once more available at No8 whilst Fiji 7s international Ledua Jope, just returned from Helmand, could regain his 2008 spot on the blind side flank. The Royal Marines and Navy retained the bi-annual 2009 Commonwealth Cup at Portsmouth in the Autumn. Three Royal Marines Greg Barden, Rob Lloyd and Gareth Evans made a major contribution to the Combined Services team that beat the Baa-Baas in the Remembrance Day Match in November 2009. The return to fitness of their experienced skipper and scrum half Dave Pascoe would certainly be welcome in the Dark Blue corner. Year on year the Army Navy match creates the most competitive atmosphere of any encounter at Twickenham. On Saturday 1 May 2010 over 55,000 partisans will urge their team on to victory. Neutrals who attend the match will, within minutes, experience an overwhelming need to take sides and will be rooting for the Reds or Blues. | |||
This match report is taken from the Royal Navy Rugby website.
ROYAL NAVY DENIES ARMY 9TH SUCCESSIVE WIN AT TWICKENHAM
| Army 22 – 24 Royal Navy | Added: 3 May 2010 |
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A record crowd of over 56,000 witnessed a game of passion, commitment and courage at Twickenham on Saturday 1st May. The Royal Navy faced an experienced Army team, littered with International and Premiership players, looking to be crowned Inter Services Champions for the 9th successive year. The scene was set for a thrilling clash that would see the Royal Navy aiming to change the Army motto ‘Reds on the March'. Indeed, the swathes of red shirts in the crowd were to be disappointed as the Royal Navy overcame a 15 -3 half time deficit to beat the Army in the final minutes of an enthralling match, by 24 points to 22. The Army kicked off and Navy wing and England 7s International Josh Drauniniu (HMNB Portsmouth) collected the high ball to launch the first Navy attack, clearly signalling their intent. With the Army and Navy sides trading kicks and attacking moves, it was almost 15 minutes of play before the Army took the first points through a penalty for offside. Army lead: 3 - 0. Only 5 minutes later, a penalty for ‘entering from the side' of a ruck put the Navy in a scoring position. Skipper Dave Pascoe (RNAS Culdrose) converted the penalty to draw the sides level. With only 14 minutes of the first half remaining, the Army number 10, Fijian International Jack Prasad, showed his class and dummied the Navy's defence to cross the line for the first try of the afternoon (converted by Cummings); Army lead 10 - 3. The Army's second try came from a well-worked move across the back line to put Cummings over (try unconverted). Despite some good attacking moves by the Navy, the score remained 15 - 3 to the Army at half time. The second half started with both sides keen to build momentum and get the best possible attacking positions. Some strong Naval defence kept the Army attacks at bay and 10 minutes into the second half the Army conceded a penalty at the breakdown. Dave Pascoe made no mistakes and kicked the Navy to within 9 points of the Army, 15 - 6. The Army's third try came from a scrum 10 metres from the Navy's line. With the scrum almost wheeled beyond ninety degrees, the Army scrum half found Prasad who quickly released the ball to centre Nacamavuto. His strong angled run took him over for the try, converted by Cummings. The Army's lead 22 - 6 looked unassailable at this point. But the Navy team stuck to the task and a penalty, again for side entry by the Army, gave Pascoe another shot at goal. The score then stood at 22 - 9 with 20 minutes to go. Another penalty for obstruction, which resulted in a yellow card for Army prop Chris Budgen, allowed Pascoe to pull back 3 more points. The Navy team looked confident and calm under increasing time pressure. Further driving play caused major confusion in the Army defence and when replacement lock David Bates cynically obstructed a Navy blindside move, he joined Budgen in a now over-crowded Army sin bin. From the rsultant penalty, the Navy opted to kick for touch. Despite a short delay, Navy replacement hooker Ben Priddey (RNAS Culdrose) maintained his composure and found his Culdrose colleague Marsh Cormack with his throw. A strong driving maul allowed Ben to spin off and cross for the Navy's first try. Pascoe converted to pull the score back to 22 - 19. The crowd collectively held its breath as the Army missed a penalty kick; the Navy was still in with a chance to win with only minutes remaining on the clock! The hero of the hour was Gareth Evans (UKLFCSG), the Navy tight head prop, who eluded a number of Army defenders to cross the line in the final 2 minutes of the match. The referee was unsighted and called on the TMO to make the final decision; technical problems made the wait even more agonising as both Navy and Army supporters were on edge of their seats. Finally the decision was announced - a try to the Navy, edging them into a 2 point lead. From the re-start the Army made every effort to regain possession in a last ditch attempt to steal the win. A well-drilled Navy team secured the ball and as the crowd counted down the final 10 seconds, skipper Dave Pascoe stood strong against the advancing wave of red shirts. The Navy number 10, Wayne 'Cowboy' John, calmly kicked the ball into touch to guarantee a well-deserved Naval victory. And so the Army winning streak came to an end. The final score was a well-deserved 24 - 22 to the Royal Navy. Putting all emotion aside, this was a consummate team performance from the men in dark blue. They played as a cohesive unit throughout, clearly reaping the benefits of their intensive training camp at HMS Nelson. This winning squad was brought together from across the Naval service, with a common desire to place the Royal Navy at the top of Services rugby. This desire was enhanced in the training camp that witnessed the squad not only grow as players, but also as a team. The trust, determination and camaraderie was evident not only on Saturday but throughout the season. The Royal Navy's Director of Rugby Lt Cdr Geraint Ashton Jones was magnanimous in victory and praised the performance of his squad, saying ‘all the hard work and preparation has paid off, but none of this would have been possible without the support from the whole of the Naval Service, which has been truly outstanding'. Royal Navy: Mne Rob Lloyd (42 Cdo RM); LAET Andy Vance (HMS Nelson) (rep Mne Jonny Stephen (CTCRM) - 77 min); LCpl Calum Macrae (CTCRM), (rep Mne Scott Llewellyn (Cdo Log Regt RM) - 60 min); ET(ME) Dale Sleeman (HMS Cumberland) 57 min); AB Logs (CS) Josh Drauniniu (HMNB Portsmouth); POET(WE) Wayne John (HMS Liverpool); POAET Dave Pascoe (Capt) (RNAS Culdrose); NA(AH) Kyle Mason (RNAS Culdrose) (rep AB(WS) Marc Roberts (HMS Bulwark) - 58 min); POA(AH) Jan Laity (RNAS Culdrose) (rep NA(AH) Ben Priddey (RNAS Culdrose) - 49min); Cpl Gareth Evans (UKLFCSG); Capt Stuart McLaren (RMR Bristol) (rep AB(Sea) Will Cairns (COMPORFLOT) - 55 min); LAET Marsh Cormack (RNAS Culdrose); Mne Mike Egglestone (45 Cdo RM) (rep Mne Kieran Morton (UKLFCSG) - 58 min); Cpl Greg Barden (RM Poole) (rep POPT Les Dennis (HMS Nelson) - 76 min); Cpl Damien Chambers (UKLFCSG). Although the Senior XV match was the main event for most, the morning matches at Kneller Hall attracted large crowds of enthusiastic supporters. The Royal Navy Women and Veterans took on their Army opponents in two very competitive and closely contested matches. The Navy Women performed above all expectations, losing by only 25 - 11, the smallest ever winning margin for the Army. This placed the RN Women as Runners-Up in the Inter Services Championship this year. The Veterans' competition, already won by the RAF, meant that both the Navy and Army sides were playing for pride. Again, this was a very close and competitive match that saw the Army run out eventual winners 28 - 19. ____________________________________________________ The Cossack Sword, awarded to the RNRU Player of the Year, for ‘Ground Gained and Held', was presented to lock forward LAET Marsh Cormack (RNAS Culdrose). ET(ME) Dale Sleeman (HMS Cumberland) was recognised as the player who best epitomised the Navy Rugby ethos ‘Proud Heritage - Exciting Future.' The RNRU award for 'Support to Navy Rugby', the ‘Soapy Watson Memorial Trophy' was awarded to Mr Dave Wakefield (HMS Collingwood). The RN Women's Player of the Inter Services, awarded the ‘Roger Sherratt Trophy', was AB(CIS) Sarah Simms (HMS Ark Royal). RN Skipper, Petty Officer Dave Pascoe, was winning his 22nd Navy Cap, which makes him the third (joint) most Navy capped player. This year's Army v Navy was the last time for PO Jan Laity in a Royal Navy shirt, which he has worn with immense pride over the last decade. He was awarded his first cap back in 1999. Also saying goodbye at this fixture was Marine Rob Lloyd (42 Cdo RM). Capped for the Navy at outside half and full back, Rob is leaving the Royal Marines this year. He has enjoyed a successful rugby career, representing the Royal Marines and the Royal Navy, as well as Combined Services. | |
Here is the Army match report taken from the Army Rugby website
 | Inter-Services Championship 2010 |  |
May-Day, May Day, May Day - Red Mist turns to fog | ||
The history of the British Army is a litany of glorious 'cock-ups' such as Gallipoli 1915 and to that can now be added Twickenham 2010. The Army has no one to blame but themselves. It was not just the 'sin-binning' of two forwards for acts of gross stupidity in the shadow of their own posts but the string of penalties presented to Navy skipper Dave Pascoe who, as anyone who has ever watched Army v Navy knows, can slot them from the changing room. |  Jack Prasad scored the opening try with Ben Hughes in close support |
Rewinding to before the last twelve minutes of the match, the Army started in boisterous mood and achieved forward domination inside twenty minutes, but and a very big but, the Navy were well drilled and certainly 'up' for this one. At no time did they lose contact on the scoreboard and, forced to defend, the tackles came in quickly with a degree of venom not seen in the past decade. With the Reds in control up-front, Fiji international fly half Jack Prasad started to feel the turf under his feet. A couple of quick rehearsals and third time he was off with a dummy that saw him clear to the posts. Full back Ceri Cummings added a second try when he launched himself at the line through would be tacklers, and then added a conversion and a penalty for a half time lead of 15pts-3. | |
 Apo Satala 'Man of the Match' at his dynamic best | There must have been smiles in the changing room. The Red's pack was clearly on top and the backs were starting to sing. Twice Gus Qasevakatini was pulled back by the whistle, latterly when he had run 70 m for a certain try.Prasad, with the assurance that he had the measure of the Navy close defence, started to lead his backs through the gaps. Naka Nacamavuto ran a superb line to take Prasad's sweet pass to the five point line for Cummings to convert and establish a 22pts-9 lead Man of the Match Army flanker Apo Satala, at his ebullient best, took on the Navy defence at short and long range and, with Blues' bodies littering his wake, created opportunities which should have scuppered the Navy. The Army attacked and came close and attacked again but a resolute Navy defence held in the absolute belief that the tide might turn-which it did. |
The sin binning of Chris Budgen on 68 minutes was bad enough but skipper Mark Lee had to leave the field for the front row to be rebalanced and the three points that followed hurt even more. Down to fourteen men was a time for clear heads and single mindedness but Dave Bates' fresh legs served only to walk him back to the tunnel to watch Navy replacement hooker Ben Priddy being driven over the line against six Red shirts. Army 22pts-Navy 19. | |
With less than two minutes remaining the Navy engines and gear boxes were screaming. The 'now or never' feeling welled into the brains of anyone in a Blues' shirt-on the pitch and in the stands. Gaz Evans, playing at prop, in a position where he may have been one grunt short of a full-heave, crashed to the line. Referee Dean Richards called for the dreaded TV replay, whilst delirious Navy supporters wailed 'Navy, Navy'-not a sight or sound heard at Twickenham in recent years. The TMO awarded the try. Army 22 pts-Navy 24. Endex. |  Ceri Cummings scores the third try |
Fifteen men in Red shirts had established a winning position in the first half of an exciting game. Fifteen men took the field in the second half but left two brains in the tunnel and were unable to finish off a match that could always be tight to the wire. To misquote 'Question of Sport' no one will ever explain 'What Happened Next'. Don't begrudge the Navy their first win in nine years. Andy Price's Army team were well prepared, played very well for 70 minutes and outscored the Navy three tries to two. Izzie and the girls in the ARU office were dusting off the silver cloth but an accumulation of unforced errors had allowed the Navy to stay in touch --even before Budgen and Bates were sent to warm the naughty bench. It was the Navy, under the leadership of skipper Dave Pascoe, that showed the sort of character we would expect from the men in Red shirts and that, in itself, was an example of how a game is never lost until it is won. Officials: Referee: Dean Richards, Assistant Referees: Andy Watson and Mike Priestley, 4th Official: Roy Maybank, 5th Official: Dave Squires, TMO: Geoff Warren, MOPR: Paul Bridgman. Spectators: 56,185 - a record. Read what the Royal Navy have to say about the match at www.navyrugbyunion.co.uk Read more about Gallipoli 1915 See the Army Navy Match Day picture gallery. Posted: 3 May 10 | |
Andy Price announces the Team for the Army Navy Match on 1 May 10:
* - Denotes Uncapped Player + - Denotes 7s International ++ - Denotes 15s International = - Denotes Barbarian ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
I say this with clenched teeth - but well done & congratulations to the Royal Navy.
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Army match report added
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