Sunday saw the Royal Navy U23 squad visit the "City of Dreaming Spires" in their preparations for the 2012 Inter-Services Championship. Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) was unable to host the match at the home ground so an alternative location of St Edwards School was used to play the fixture. Since the Navy U23s last game against a Chichester RFC Select XV 2 weeks ago the squad has work hard in all aspects to improve their skills and develop the game plan. The training session prior to Sundays game went well, but unfortunately a couple of injuries and illness meant the starting XV changed. On a dull and overcast Sunday morning at HMS Sultan the U23 squad conducted a ...
The first of the 2 Navy Cup Round 1 fixtures saw HMS Heron travel to Scotland to take on HMNB Clyde. Having never played each other before, it was a venture into the unknown. Operational commitments definitely took its toll as HMS Heron were only able to make the epic journey with minimum 15 players. The game was played on a surprisingly bright day with conditions being pretty much perfect. The game began in earnest with both teams fighting for possession. The scrums were dominated by HMS Heron who pressurised the Clyde pack from the first engagement. However, injuries early in the game to an already depleted HMS Heron team gave HMNB Clyde the advantage which they gratefully to...
A shock result in Scotland has stopped HMS Heron gain a 10 th victory in the Royal Navy Rugby Union Cup.
HMS Heron felt the strain of ongoing Operational Deployments and Training Exercises as they only managed to field 15 players for there game against HMNB Clyde . (View Navy Cup RD1) These constant demands have also hit HMS Middleton who does not return to these shores until December and 30 Cdo RM who return in late November which rules them both out of the Cup and the Plate competition. Therefore, the Quarter Final draw looks has an interesting flavour, with HMS Seahawk looking to retain the Navy Cup after last years success gaining a Bye due to 30 Cdo RM withdr...
It was always going to be a difficult task for the new look Royal Navy Rugby Union Women (RN(W)), with several first choice players either deployed on Operations, attending professional courses or injured.
Unlike the touring Australian Services squad, this would be the RN(W)'s first game of the season and even though many are playing regular rugby, to bring a squad together and play against a well drilled side with a fast and punishing back line was always going to be a challenge.
The Australian Women started the quicker and it became clear that they had the advantage in the backs, scoring 2 quick tries out wide. However, their kicking was not as sharp as their running game. The RN...
This Sunday the 28 th of October will see the Royal Navy U23 squad visit the "City of Dreaming Spires" as they continue their preparations for the 2012 Interservices Championship. Founded in 1869, the Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) is one of the oldest in the world and with OURFC now a regular fixture for the Senior RN XV, it was about time the young tyros of the senior service had the opportunity to pit their talents, skill, and commitment against a side with a formidable reputation for rugby. Since their inception, 300 Oxford Blues have gone on to win International Honours and the annual contest against their auld enemy Cambridge University in the Varsity Match at Twicke...
