Combined Services Veterans v The Pride of Yorkshire
Saturday 12th June 2010 - Leeds
It was the 2nd year that the Combined Service Veterans had travelled to Leeds to face The Pride of Yorkshire. The fixture was played at Moortown RFC with proceeds from the game and additional fund raising going to H4H.
As always bringing a CS squad together with limited training opportunities is problematic but this year the CS Vets were stronger than ever with a mix from each of the Services.
From the Start the CS players made their intent clear with open running rugby that at times looks like a game of 7s not 15s! As always in these games, unlimited interchanges are allowed and the team that uses them to best effect normally ends up in the dominant position. However, it was to be the Yorkshire Legends who were to draw first blood after an interception gave them a converted try (7-0 after 6 mins). The CS Vets defence stood strong under continuing attacks with Calvin Venn (Army) and Paul Clark (Navy) at the forefront. Leeds Legends started to interchange their players well and this paid dividends when from a quick lineout and a good passage of passing play the Legends went over again, try converted (14-0 after 11mins).
After making a few changes of their own, the CS Vets started to apply pressure that kept the Legends pinned in their own 22. The captain of the CS Vets, Dave Goddard (Army), made good ground that punished the Legends on several occasions. The Legends in true style made any turnover a threat, this eventually resulted in a converted try (21 - 0 after 19 mins).
The Legends used every opportunity to take advantage and their International ‘tricks of the trade' came to the fore on several occasions as they played the Referee's blindside well. This made the CS Vets even more determined, which eventually paid off as Mark Kane (Army) scored an unconverted try to make the half-time score (21-5)
The CS Vets started the second half only to have the ball kicked back deep into their 22; the resulting Legends' pressure resulted in another score (unconverted) to put the score at 26-5 after 42 mins of play. Good work from Dom O'Conner (Navy) and Paul Fisher (RAF) kept the Legends at bay for a good period of time. However, the Legends again used a well worked move to make the score (31-5 after 49 mins). The CS Vets continued to play good rugby and a well supported drive by Chris Richards (Navy) puts the CS Skipper Dave Goddard (Army) under the posts for a try, converted by Calvin Venn (Army): 31-12 after 56 mins.
As the game entered the final quarter, the CS Vets increased the intensity of their attacks and not even the ‘ball slowing' tactics of the Legends could ease the mounting pressure; Chris Richards (Navy) scored with support from Bob Toomey (Navy) and James Le Mar (RAF), making the final score Leeds Legends 31 - 17 CS Vets.
Many thanks to Moortown RUFC and the CS Vets' sponsor Serco for their generous, valuable and continued support. The fixture and supporting events made £2,508.76 for Help for Heroes.
Combined Service Veterans:
SSgt M Reed (Army), WO2 R Toomey (Royal Navy), WO2 P Clark (Royal Navy), Lt P Clark (Royal Navy), Sgt C Halliday (RAF), SSgt C Venn (Army), Capt D Boocock (Army), WO1 S Collins (Army), Sgt P Fisher (RAF), FSgt L Bramhall (RAF), Cpl D O'Connor (Royal Navy), Cpl P Clark (RAF), WO2 N Griffiths (Army), SSgt D Goddard (Army) (Capt), WO2 C Richards (Royal Navy):
Replacements:
Cpl J Le Mar (RAF), Sgt B Houserman (RAF), CPO F Pearson (Royal Navy), SSgt G Windle (Army), Cpl A Lalauvaki (Army), SSgt M Kane (Army), Sgt Haseltine (Royal Navy), LCpl T Turagabeci (Army), CPO E Cowie (Royal Navy), Cpl M Stewart (RAF).
2010 Pride of Yorkshire Squad
Sam Coy (Rotherham), Adam Atkinson (Hull), Simon Bunting (Rotherham), Scott Wilson, (Rotherham), Steve Johnson (Castleford), John Dudley (Rotherham), Ian Gresser (Rotherham), Howard Parr (Otley & RAF), Tim Fourie (Rossendale & South Africa), Neil Spence (Hull), Nick Crapper (Sheffield), Ben Wade (Rotherham), Jason Ashcroft (Waterloo), Scott Bentton (Morley), Brad Heppi (Hull FC & Bali Legends), Craig Emmerson (Halifax), Mark Farrar (Moortown), Ryan Duckett (Otley & Bradford Bulls), Matt Duncan (Harrogate), Chris Smith (St Helens & Classic Lions), Stuart Dixon (Bradford), Ali MacIron (Driffield), John Bentley (Cleckheaton & British Lions), Meae David (Hull FC & Bali Legends), Martin Moana (Halifax RL & Bali Legends)