In their final warm up match of the season, the Royal Navy Rugby Union Mariners travelled to Paignton to take on the Torbay Sharks. It was to be a great test ahead of the Inter Service competition with the Mariners securing a narrow victory over the home side 21 - 19. While the weather conditions for the match where near perfect, no amount of thanks can be given to Mr Nick Bodnar of Paignton RFC for painstakingly preparing what was an unplayable pitch. Six hours prior to kick off alternative venues were being sourced but though sheer dogged determination he made the playing surface suitable, ensuring the game could take place. Seen as the toughest pre-Inter Service competi...
The Royal Navy Rugby Union hosted the British Police at Burnaby Road, Portsmouth in their final warm up match prior to the start of the Inter Service Rugby competition 2018. With a couple of recent additions to their training camp the Royal Navy ended the evening victorious 43 - 18 and a step away from the start of their Inter Service journey. Marine Harry Collins and Marine Robbie Wilson both started in the front row, alongside team captain Ben Priddey. Collins is a veteran of the Royal Navy Senior XV but this year, due to professional commitments, he has not been able to join the training camp until now. Wilson is new to the Senior XV and came to prominence during th...
The sun wasn’t shining for the Royal Navy Rugby Union Women as they took to the pitch at Stade Leo Legrange in Toulon for their annual fixture against the Marine Nationale Feminines. Despite displaying plenty of determination and resilience they were no match for the French Navy Women and the final score was 67 – 0. The Royal Navy Rugby Union Women know that when they travel to France for the annual fixture against the French Navy the odds are stacked against them. The Royal Navy Women have not defeated their French counterparts since the competition began in 2011 and the French Women are always fiercer on home soil. The 2018 encounter was to be no d...
The sun was shining at Stade Mayol in Toulon as the Royal Navy Senior XV prepared to take on their French counterparts in the annual fixture, colloquially known as 'Le Crunch'. However after a hard fought 80 minutes of play it looked gloomy for the visitors as they went down 33 - 14 to the home side. A decent crowd had gathered at the Toulon stadium to witness the match, and to support the Wounded Soldier charity who were the beneficiaries of funds raised as the Royal Navy Rugby Union Senior XV faced up to the Rugby Club Marine Nationale. For team captain Ben Priddey, as he led his team out onto the pitch, it was not a new experience. He had captained the side here whe...
As the culmination of their season, the Royal Navy Rugby Union President's XV welcomed the RAF development side, the RAF Hawks, to Burnaby Road. It was a thrilling, high scoring match and the home crowd were delighted with the result - the RN President's triumphed 39 - 12.
Full match report to follow. Team: 1. AET Ben Love, 2. Mne Dewi Pearce, 3. ET Nathan Treveil, 4. LCpl Joe Staniforth, 5. AB Gav Hughan, 6. Mne Dan Mason, 7. Mne Toby Papp, 8. Mne Lewis Cooper, 9. AET Sam Carter, 10 Let Tom Penman, 11. LAET Luke Cooper, 12. ET Sam Benzie (team captain), 13. LS Ben Jeacock, 14. Mne Josh Townsend, 15. AB Rory Penfold, replacements 16. Musn Harrison Marsh, 17. Mid Scott Bentley, ...
