Combined Services Sports Awards : Royal Navy Rugby Union

Dave Pascoe Named Combined Services Sportsman of the Year

Earlier this year CPOAET Dave Pascoe was awarded RN Sportsman of the Year

CPOAET Combined Services Sportsman of the Year 2013.

Servicemen and women who have excelled in sports over the past year were recognised at the annual Combined Services Sports Awards yesterday, 20 Mar 14. The awards cover 5 categories:

Sportsman, Sportswoman, Sports Team, Sports Official and Adaptive.

The awards are an an annual event which mark the culmination of the many sporting successes achieved by the men and women of the Armed Forces. The RNRU are delighted to announce that CPOAET Dave Pascoe, the RN Sportsman of the Year 2013, was also awarded the CS Sportsman of the Year 2013.

CPOAET Pascoe is currently serving in 771 NAS, the frontline SAR unit based at RNAS Culdrose. He first played for the RNRU Senior XV in 1999 as a young AEM and through hard work, dedication and personal sacrifice he has dovetailed a successful career with outstanding sporting achievements. Always ‘sailor first, rugby player second’, he has been a role model throughout his career for his peers. A combination of volunteering for operational deployments out of turn, conducting extra duties and sacrificing family time have all resulted in a highly professional technician and SNCO who has had an unprecedented representative rugby career.

CPOAET Pascoe is the current captain of the Royal Navy Rugby Union Senior XV and his award as the RN Sportsman of the Year came on the back of his outstanding service to RN rugby over a 14 year period to date. He has represented the Royal Navy Rugby Union since 1999, playing in every season since. He is the joint most capped player; he won his 31st cap on Wednesday equalling Bob Armstrong and is the longest serving captain of the RNRU Senior XV is history (RNRU founded 1906) – a record of commitment, endurance, strength and self sacrifice that is unlikely to be surpassed. For his outstanding display of professionalism, inspirational leadership and selflessness, Pascoe was awarded the Combined Services Sportsman of the Year, becoming the first RNRU Snr XV player to win the award since 1977. Dave flew back from Toulon on Wed 19 Mar, having come off at half time in the annual match against Marine Nationale, in order to attend the awards.