The RAF Women had laid down markers as to their form in their opening game of the 2016 Inter Services. Despite losing 26-7 at home to the Army they showed enough evidence that their squad has clearly developed over the last year, boosted by a core of players with representative honours. Though the Royal Navy Women made them work hard for their victory, ultimately they had to contend with a heavy defeat, 47-0, despite playing some of their best rugby of recent seasons. The paradox of sport.
At the core of the RAF team was an 8,9,10 axis that consisted of Amy Cokayne (England), Lucy Nye (England U20) and Sian Williams (Wales) with the welsh sevens duo of Chrissy Siczow...
Two games, twelve months apart, amazing similarities but an important and solitary point of difference. Last year, at RAF Halton, as the game reached its climax the RAF monopolised possession, challenged the Royal Navy’s composure and found it wanting. A winning lead had evaporated and the match was drawn with the last play of the game. Roll forward to Portsmouth and the Royal Navy had far less of a lead to defend but they maintained their composure in a last quarter shut out that restricted the Royal Air Force to two long range penalties which were both missed. Victory by a single point, 9-8 but in terms of preparation for the end of season finale at Twicke...
This year’s meeting between the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy Senior XVs carries a special imperative. For the second year running the RAF and their strong capable squad have put together a clever and dogged performance against the Army that has allowed them to match the opposition game plan and essentially generate a pressure that they have then been able to carry through to the final whistle. Clearly this year it was a close game and it all came down to a disallowed resurgent Army try, before having to come back for the original Army penalty wide out on edge of the 22M. The crowd fully played their part and with a tangible air of excitement falling across the Halton Down, yo...
The RNRU(W) headed to Merseyside for some culture and fun but most importantly some dedicated training time ahead of their Inter Services games against the RAF(W) on 20 April and Army(W) on 30 April. A 4-day period in Liverpool, based at Altcar Army Camp in Hightown, enabled the coaching team to get the players away from the day-to-day pressures of work and homelife to enable focus ahead of the 2 biggest games of the season.
The first day of training involved some dedicated set-piece work including rucking drills, lineout and scrum-work coupled with the backs finessing their running lines. This opportunity has enabled some players who have recently returned from operational depl...
It was a very different world the last time the Mariners looked to retain an Inter Services trophy. Tony Blair had yet to become Prime Minister, Channel 5 was in its first month of broadcasting and 'I Believe I Can Fly' was in its final week at number one in the charts. Quite appropriate as the Mariners prepare to face the RAF Vultures in their first game as defending champions. It was their comprehensive win against the Vultures last year that in hindsight probably gave the squad the belief that they could close out a championship they had been close to winning on a few occasions in recent seasons. A closer, and at times scrappy, win at Kneller Hall completed the...
