RNRU Royal Navy Rugby Union

The Royal Navy U23 side played their final student opposition of the season yesterday in bright and fresh conditions. Plymouth University was the opposition and Ivybridge RFC the venue for the current Inter Service Champions’ penultimate warm up game.

Head Coach Andy Vance had hoped for a quick start but it was the students who made the most of a collapsed scrum in the opening phases of play and their fly half kicked them into a 3-0 lead. Things were beginning to look bad for the Senior Service as an injury to fly half, Ryan Scott, forced a reshuffle in the backs and ten minutes later their scrum half, Jay Toogood, was given a 10 minute break for a late tackle.

But the Navy rallied with a penalty kick followed by a great line break by winger, Kane Teer-Bourge, who fed George Prentice to canter under the sticks for the RN to take their first lead of the match. Thanks to a second try by Ollie Raynor the Under 23s took a half time lead of 14-6.

Once again Andy Vance’s side came out of the changing rooms slowly and Plymouth University capitalised with a try, conversion and penalty to take a two point lead. But despite the student’s burgeoning confidence they were not to score again and the RN took advantage of Jay Toogood’s local knowledge as he split the defence in two and found the try line like he has done so many times for Ivybridge RFC before a final try from Jack Davis made the final score 28-16.

The Under 23s now face their final warm up challenge against Exeter Chiefs, under the lights at Sandy Park on the 3^rd of November. This match will be their final warm up before they face off against an Army side in Plymouth for the beginning of their Inter Service defence.