Army Reds achieve Magnificent Seven

Army beat Navy (22-11)
Twickenham Stadium, 3 May 2008

By Roger Thompson

Magnificent Seven! The Army retained the BABCOCK Trophy for the seventh successive year by four tries to one in a red blooded contest that had the 50,500 Twickenham crowd baying for more! Both the Navy and Army had previously defeated the RAF to set up the 2008 winner-takes-all contest

The Royal Navy delivered the promised Nelsonian bombardment. In a sentence they played high intensity rugby throughout the opening quarter, but then reinforced with more of the same. After thirty minutes the storm had blown over, the Army counter-attacked, demolished the Navy scrum and then spread its wings.

The first try was a massive forward effort centred on a 5m scrum where the Army effectively crushed the Navy set piece. After close quarter exchanges Chris Budgen (Saints) seized the initiative and the ball and drove over.

From the restart the ball moved smoothly through many hands and when Apo Satala (Leeds) handed over to Darrell Ball just inside the Navy '22' it was an unopposed gallop to the white line.

In the second half the Reds' forwards again focussed on a scrum close to the Navy line. The exposure of the Navy's front five followed by repeated close rucking and mauling enabled loose head prop Melvyn Lewis to cross for the second prop's try.

The final Army score was an Apo Satala cruising special, a shrug here and a hand-off there broke the defence and he was left with a 20m saunter to the line.

At the close full back Wayne Dugan crossed for a well worked Navy consolation try to ring down the curtain at 22pts-11. Had the Navy managed to release the electric Josh Draniniu it might have been different but the Navy's main threat was both starved of the ball or shackled by the Reds' defence.

Lt Cdr Geraint Ashton Jones the Navy's coach admitted to disappointment at the result but he added "we were encouraged, we believe there is more to come from this group of players and we know we can deliver an Inter Services Championship"

Army skipper Mark Lee (L Welsh) led from the very front throughout, Budgen put in a super human effort in the short range game and No8 Joe Kava was the premier ball carrier. All worthies but Darrell Ball was named BABCOCK Man of the Match for a fine all round performance in the tight, the line out and open play, topped off with a superb try.

Whilst the Navy had scored 67 pts against the RAF, the Army had stuttered against similar opposition. Ten days later they posted a disciplined display of raw power and selective finesse against a strong and confident Navy. "That's what we were working on when the team at last came together in South Africa" said Army coach WO2 Andy Price (Welsh Guards). "We knew the Navy would come full frontal. They have some very good players. We planned to stay cool and focussed, assert our authority up front and then counter attack. I am very proud of the way our people took the emotion out of the game and, by sticking to their guns, scored four good tries."

England Students enjoy sweet smell of success

England Students Under-23s beat Combined Services Under-23s (38-26)
Twickenham Stadium, 3 May 2008

By Hugh Godwin, RFU

Five tries including one by the captain, Phil Ellis, steered England Students to victory in their final fixture of the season at Twickenham Stadium today (3 May 2008).

After international wins over Scottish Universities and Irish Colleges, and a defeat away to France Students, it was a satisfactory conclusion for Ellis's side against a team drawn from up-and-coming players in the three Services.

"We have a had a large squad this year," said Ellis, "and every time we've been together we have improved and developed."

"To captain an England side at Twickenham is pretty much a dream come true and the try topped it off nicely."

This is the first season that the England Students have been played as a unified team after the bringing together of the former Students and Universities sides.

And their preparation for this curtain-raiser to the Army v Navy match had an unexpected twist in midweek when 10 players were invited as blind testers for some perfumes, with footage to be shown on GMTV next Thursday.

Once the players had shown their sense of scent and chivalry with the three models wearing the perfume it was down to business against the Combined Services.

With barely 65 seconds gone the opening score was an intriguing one, given the debate currently raging over the experimental law variations. The Services set up a driving maul in England's 22, and when it was pulled down a few metres from the goalline, the referee Dick Underwood immediately awarded a penalty try.

Services fly half Keri Cummings converted for a 7-0 lead and would kick well throughout the match to tot up 16 points.

England replied within two minutes when scrum half Jamie Hood - a late call up after Oxford's Toby Henry broke his leg in training - replied with a try at the left corner.

Cummings put over a couple of penalty goals for the Services to extend the lead to 13-5 then fly half Chris Ashwin kicked one for England after 19 minutes.

England had the lead for the first time when Ashwin converted a try by inside centre Ellis in the 26th minute. Sharp passing from a line out enabled Ellis, a former England Under 18 cap who has shared the Students' captaincy with Ian Kench this season, to make a clean break through the Services' first-up defence and he ran 15 metres to score.

There were two more near misses for England when Drew Locke hacked on from a fumbled pass but was penalised for attempting to place the ball instead of releasing in the tackle, then Adrian Griffiths' charge down had the Services scurrying to clear the danger on their goalline.

That was followed by Griffiths getting caught in two minds near his 22 after 35 minutes to concede a penalty for holding on which allowed Cummings to kick the Services into a 16-15 lead.

England nosed back in front with the last kick of the half, though, when Ashwin converted a simple penalty, and they were never headed again.

A catch and drive try for replacement flanker Mike Denbee converted by Ashwin made it 25-16 after five

minutes of the second half, with England having rallied from their opening setback to consistently turn the weapon of the driving maul on their opponents.

The searing pace of left wing Tom Hockedy - a double try-scorer against Irish Colleges in March - gave him a try all the way down the touchline after 49 minutes.

England had a setback, though, when replacement hooker Jonathan Moyce was sent to the sin bin on 60 minutes for not rolling away from the tackle.

There would be two more yellow cards late in the game for Hood and Combined Services' No 8 Rory Thompson.

In the meantime, Cummings dropped a goal and Ashwin kicked his third penalty then David Bates' line out catch in the England 22 set the Services' replacement lock Paul Gregory up for his side's second try, which Cummings converted to trim England's lead to 33-26.

With both sides down to 14 men in added time, England's scrum worked a straightforward pushover try against a tiring Services pack, with No 8 Peter Browne applying the finishing touch.

England Students U23

Players: P Wackett (Leeds University); M Coady (Loughborough University), D Locke (Northumbria University), P Ellis (Hertfordshire University, capt), T Hockedy (Exeter University); C Ashwin (Bath University), J Hood (Loughborough University); T Fidler (Bath University), M Cross (Loughborough University), R Lutton (Oxford University), S Pitfield (Loughborough University), A Griffiths (Bath University), M Rickner (Exeter University), P Clarke (Oxford University), P Browne (Durham University).

Replacements: J Moyce (St Mary's College) for Cross 50, E Pickles (Imperial Medics) for Griffiths 70, A Pretorius (UWE Hartpury) for Rickner 50, M Denbee (Plymouth University) for Clarke 24, T Stevenson (UWE Hartpury) for Ashwin 77, C Rowley (Oxford Brookes) for Hood 77, P Dias (Loughborough University) for Locke 80+1.

Scorers: tries: Hood, Ellis, Denbee, Hockedy, Browne; cons: Ashwin 2; pens: Ashwin 3.

Combined Services U23

Players: Spr R Slade-Jones (39 Eng Regt); LCpl L Blackburn (Cdo Logs Regt), SAC K Craven (RAF Boulmer, capt), AET L Taylor (RNAS Yeovilton), Mne A Humphries (45 Cdo RM); Cpl K Cummings (SEAE Bordon), SAC D Birkby (RAF Benson); SAC S Bratt (RAF Odiham), 2Lt G Saynor (7 Sig Regt), Sub Lt D Smith RN (BRNC Dartmouth), LCpl D Bates (12 Sig Gp), Cpl R Davidson (3 Regt AAC), SAC P Bowen (RAF Lyneham), Mne R Wells (42 Cdo RM), 2Lt R Thompson (7 Sig Regt).

Replacements: Mne B Tait (42 Cdo RM) for Saynor 40, Sub Lt T Blackburn (DTUS Southampton) for Bratt 53, SAC P Gutteridge (RAF Marham) for L Blackburn 56, LCpl P Gregory (9 Regt RLC) for Davidson 65. Unused: Cpl J Baker (8 Tpt Regt RLC), LCpl K Chorley (2 Royal Welsh), Mne J Stevens (Cdo Logs Regt), Fus M Harding-Prior (2 RRF), OCdt B McNeil (RMA Sandhurst).

Scorers: tries: penalty try, Gregory; cons: Cummings 2; pens: Cummings 3; drop: Cummings.

Referee: D Underwood (RFU).

Report courtesy of RFU

Army blocks RAF runway

Army beat RAF (42-6)
Newbury, 23 April 2008

Report by Roger Thompson

The Army outplayed the RAF 42 pts-6 at Newbury on 23 April in what was a special night for Sapper lock Ben Hughes (RE) who won his 25th cap — an Army record.

After two minutes centre Danny Cootes (RE) finished off a team try. The Army were then tempted to try out a few ploys whereas tighter control and less over-elaboration may have produced more points.

For those counting there were eight tries and one conversion. The pick was No 8 Joe Kava’s (RLC), not so much for the big man’s individual finish but for the build-up and execution.

Apolosi Satala (1 Scots) scored two and featured in many others whilst Malakai Magnus (RLC) on the left wing also hauled in a brace. Full back Mal Roberts (RLC) was back to his attacking best.

Standoff Mark Honeybunn (RA), in his first Inter Service match came on with new cap Ian Martin (3 Yorks) and immediately took control. Honeybunn was smooth, created a glorious opening and when blocked wisely ‘set’ from where Magnus drove over in the corner.

The RAF retained their pride. They tackled courageously, and rucked as though they wanted to compete.

Twickenham beckons for yet another winner takes all battle. It’s probably going to be the best Inter Service match seen at HQ for a decade.

Read the 2007 match report

Royal Navy shoot down airmen

Navy beat RAF (67-12)
Portsmouth, 16 April 2008

Report by Roger Thompson

The Royal Navy started the BABCOCK 2008 Inter Services Championship on 16 April with a broadside that stunned the Royal Air Force and pleased a healthy crowd at Burnaby Road. A victory by 67pts-12 emphasised the strides that Navy rugby has taken in the past three years

The Blues pack was highly competitive against a larger Air Force eight who had decided ‘muscle’ was the order of the day. Back row Matt Parker, Will Pilkington and Andrew Dennis proved to offer the ’firstest with the mostest’. They ferreted at every contact supplying copious amounts of good ball to skipper Dave Pascoe, who knew exactly how to make the marine engine tick.

The main threat was undoubtedly Exeter Chief’s ‘flyer’ Josh Drauninui who tormented the air defence all evening. He was ultra-quick, elusive and direct but he was not alone. Royal Marines Rob Lloyd and Greg Barden worked smoothly and were inevitably on-hand to carry forward advances made by a rampant pack.

This might not be the ‘dreadnought’ Navy forward machine of the 1990s but it is big, it is probably quicker and there is mass support for a faltering movement all the way to the goal line. Marsh Cormack looked in fine shape and when he retired to the bench 17 stones of Tom O’Keeffe made his presence felt.

This outstanding result sets the stage for a massive encounter against the Army at Twickenham on 3 May. It’s a long time since the Senior Service looked so good in all departments of the game. The players are ‘up’ for the challenge and it is easy to see, even at this stage, that they intend to attack.

Read the 2007 match report

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