Strong RN Representation in 2011 Combined Services Squad
Selection for this year Combined Services Remembrance Day game see's a strong representation from the Royal Navy Rugby Union.
CPO Ash Coates joins the Tri-Service Coaching team as assistant coach for the game along side his RAF and Army counterparts.
On the playing side 12 RN players have been provisionally selected for the squad, which plays a Gloucester Presidents XV at Kingsholm on 8Nov.
The game could see the first taste of CS rugby for Navy centre ET(WE) (Dale) Sleeman whom although selected last year was deployed with HMS Cumberland. The selection also sees Navy back row (MA) (Sam) Laird rewarded for his excellent first season of service rugby in which he received the Proud Heritage Exciting Future Award.
NA (Ben) Priddey is also selected after an excellent season followed by his strong showing in the IDRC.
ADOR Quote "I am very pleased that the performance of Navy team over the last few months which has been rewarded with a strong Navy contingent within the Combined Service squad, it is testament for Navy Rugby that so many players have been selected with so much competition from all 3 Services. I know they will do the Navy proud."
RN selection for CS provisional squad:
NA (AH) (Ben) Priddey (RNAS Culdrose)
NA (AH) (Kyle) Mason (845 NAS)
Cpl (Gareth) Evans (539 ASRM)
POAET (Marsh) Cormack (845 NAS)
Capt (Stu) McLaren RM (RAF Halton (DMOC))
MA (Sam) Laird (HMS Collingwood)
Cpl (Greg) Barden (HMNB Portsmouth)
POAET (Dave) Pascoe (771 NAS)
CPOET (WE) (Wayne) John (HMS Liverpool)
ET (WE) (Dale) Sleeman (HMS Cumberland)
ET (WE) (Jon) Marlin (HMS Chatham)
Logs (CS) (Josh) Drauniniu (HMNB Portsmouth)