HMS Diamond’s first rugby game of the season, and first game of the deployment, brought together many new faces and a wealth of fresh talent. It was not a straight-forward road to the game with the match only being confirmed at the eleventh hour, the referee pulling out last minute (and Lieutenant Ally Taylor having to stand in), playing the match on a football pitch and all on top of the fact that the Diamond team were brought together without any training or previous game-time. What they lacked in cohesion they certainly made up for in enthusiasm, hard work and ferociousness as they entered the arena against a much better drilled outfit. Due to the warm weather and the rel...
The Royal Navy Rugby Union U23s ended their trials weekend with a full 80 minute match against the Hampshire U20s team at Burnaby Road, Portsmouth. For the Royal Navy the aim of the match was to give all those attending the trials the chance to show their skills on the pitch, hence a slightly modified form of the game – being split into quarters and allowing full changeovers of players every time. The aim was achieved but against a strong Hampshire side the result did not go the way of the home team and the visitors won the day 10 – 21. To mark the start of the U23s season, Assistant Director of Rugby, Lieutenant Commander Aidan Riley, opened the event to all com...
During their recent tour to the East Coast of the United States coaches and players from the Royal Navy Rugby Union took time out from their touring schedule to support a 'grass roots' development and training session for local US club the Quantico Hooligans. The Hooligans are a mix of civilian and military personal stationed in Quantico, the home of the United States Marine Corps. The club have very limited rugby experience but this is countered by their vast experience in a variety of other sports and amongst their number they boast a State Mixed Martial Art champion. Navy Coaches Ash Coates and Sean Hammond supported by players Harry Collins, Ed Pascoe and Jarrard Hayler, put ...
The RNRU annual 10s championship final will take place at HMS Heron, Yeovilton on Wednesday 4 October 2017. The regional competitions have already taken place and the top teams from those heats will be travelling to Somerset to compete against each other in a bid to claim the RNRU 10s title 2017. The Eastern Region 10s competition was organised by Community Rugby Coach, Dave Wakefield. 4 teams took part in the competition, each taking turns to play the other 3 teams. At the end of the day, the team from Thorney Island topped the table, with HMS Sultan's side coming a close second. Drawing two of their games HMS Collingwood came third and an unlucky HMNB Portsmout...
