Royal Navy Women Face Upcoming Season with Positivity
The Royal Navy Women will be meeting for the first time this season to play Paignton on 1 Dec 13 (KO 1400). The match will be the culmination of a training weekend held at Lympstone; the weekend will give Head Coach, Lt Dominic “Bali” Salisbury (INM) the opportunity to see how the Ladies have progressed since the Inter Services. New Vice Captain, LAC Emily Park (HMS Collingwood) has said that “I am very excited about the season ahead with the squad. I will be facing new challenges personally as VC and I am looking forward to meeting new opposition such as the Fire Service. We are already working harder than ever before to get ourselves into a condition from which we can beat the RAF and challenge the Army.”
Emily was one of the 3 RN(W) players who were selected to represent the Combined Services Women at the Remembrance fixture against Exeter University. SLt Helen Stevenson (HMS Collingwood) and LLogs Lauren Morton (RNPDT&MC) joined Emily in Devonport as members of the CS(W) side who convincingly beat Exeter University by 67 – 0. Morton and Stevenson were among 5 RN(W) players who were nominated for England Academy Trials in Sep 13. Together with AB Sam Alderson (HMS SCOTT), AB Stacey Hargrave (HMS RICHMOND) and Lt Charlotte Fredrickson (COMUKTG), they performed to an excellent standard at the trials, demonstrating the high level of rugby played by the RN(W). Of the 5, Morton was selected for the London and South-East squad and will be attending training weekends and fixtures throughout the season.
Looking to the season ahead, the RN(W) can feel positive. Players have been attending Strength and Conditioning sessions, are playing more civilian rugby at a good standard and overall are ensuring that their personnel rugby fitness is to the highest standard. Many of the new players from last season are showing massive improvement which can only mean that the coaching team will have selection challenges on their hands!
The Head Coach hopes to build on the momentum of last season, introduce more players to Navy Women’s rugby, win 4 out of the 7 fixtures (including beating the RAF) and have 2 RN(W) players starting for CS with 3 others in the 23 man squad. With the enthusiasm and talent available within the Squad, all these aspirations are very achievable and the RN(W) face the forthcoming season with positivity, determination and excitement!
Squad for Paignton Game:
Mid E Bloor (DTUS Trojan Sqn)
SLt L Blagdon (HMS Sultan)
Lt A Blower (HMS MERSEY)
DSA B Brown (42 Cdo)
MA I Brown (RNAS Culdrose)
AET L Christie (HMS Sultan)
Mid O Critchely (DTUS Trojan Sqn)
ETME S Dockerty (HMS TYNE)
MA N Elvidge (Keogh Barracks)
Lt E Grant (HMS Drake)
MA K Hoppin (Keogh Barracks)
Lt K Ives (HMS Collingwood)
PO S Jenkins (HMS Collingwood) – Captain
NN A Kightley (DSHCS Birmingham)
LPT A Marshall (HMS Nelson)
MA E Middleton (HMS Drake)
LLogs L Morton (RNPDT&MC)
LAC E Park (HMS Collingwood) – Vice Captain
LMA K Parkman (HMS Sultan)
NA C Penrose (HMS OCEAN)
AB H Quigley (HMS Sultan)
MA A Risker (Southwick Park)
SLt A Sadler (HMS DUNCAN)
SLt H Stevenson (HMS Collingwood)
PO P Williams-Wilson (RNAS Yeovilton)
Images by Alligin Photography / © G Ashton Jones