RNRU Royal Navy Rugby Union

With the proposed training camp at the beginning of the year cancelled due to bad weather and availability, the pressure was on Team Manager WO Glen Humphreys and Head Coach Lt Mick Connolly, under the direction of Chairman Cdr Andy Phenna, to regain lost ground and put the RN Vets on a safe footing to commence its forthcoming fixtures. The Squad formed up in the Wyvern Centre at 1100 sharp(!) to be bombarded with a number of briefs on our aims were for the season. Under the care and tutelage of Mick, Backs Coach PO Neil Evans and new Forwards Coach, CSGT Tony Hands, the team would play heads up, open and running rugby and lose the tag ‘old mans rugby'. This, combined with an ou...

Determined to start the new decade on a successful note, the Royal Navy Women registered a good win against a physically imposing Portsmouth side at home on Wednesday night. There were a number of new faces in the Navy line up and Julianna Straker (BRNC), playing at no. 10, captained the team for the first time. Navy debutantes included Chelsea Stokes and Adele Bath (HMS Daring). From the kicked off the RN established good early possession and made steady progress towards the try-line. The Portsmouth defence withstood a number of well organised attacks and was particularly impressive in the breakdown, turning over Navy ball on a number of occasions. However, the persistent attacking s...