The Navy squad has started the build up to the Inter-Services 2012 with a mixture of team building, strength and conditioning training as well as pitch sessions at HMS Sultan in Gosport, Hants. With a higher than normal changeover of players due to operational commitments, retirements and redundancies, the new management team is keen to quickly bring together a squad from across the full spectrum of the Navy life. The aim is to build an effective unit to take on the French Navy, RAF and Army, all in April this year.
So far the squad has spent 3 weeks together which included the opening game against Oxford University. This match was an encouraging start with the Navy working hard to st...
On a clear February evening a small but vocal crowd braved the cold at the Rectory to watch a Devonport Services 'Legends' side coached by Dave Oakley provide the first opposition of the season for the RN Mariners. With last year's Mariners Team Manager Lt (Chris) Roberts promoted to Senior XV duties for their match against Oxford University, a largely new Team Support Group (TSG) had gathered that morning at the Wyvern Centre, HMS Drake, wondering how many of their players would make it to training. Player unavailability had already caused the cancellation of earlier fixtures against Ivel Barbarians and Torpoint so it was make or break for the new Team Manager Lt (Micky) Fli...
On a good pitch the RN Senior XV opened the evening with the first game of the 2011/12 Season against Oxford University at US Portsmouth Ground, Burnaby Rd, Portsmouth. In previous meetings between the 2 teams, Oxford had always proved to be a difficult opponent and this year's team was no exception, boasting 8 Blues in the squad.
The Navy, under new Director of Rugby (DoR) Lt Cdr (Andy) Kellett and new Head Coach CPO (Ash) Coates, selected a side that had a good mix of both youth and experience.
As the game started it was clear that both teams wanted to run the ball and play a very open, fast game. It was Oxford who had the better of the opening exchanges and challenged the Navy s...
Early morning runs to Stokes Bay beach, breaking the ice before completing the assault course at the Royal Navy Leadership Academy (RNLA), jumping off a 60ft high platform and conducting a damage control exercise in the Damage Repair Instructional Unit (DRIU) at HMS Excellent, not the sort of training the Royal Navy Senior XV training squad were expecting as they start their preparations for this year's Inter Services Championship.
‘With a large number of new faces this year, I wanted a mixture of team building activities as well as fitness testing, gym work and on pitch sessions' said new Royal Navy Rugby Union Director of Rugby (DoR) Lieutenant Commander (Andy) Kellett Royal N...
The Navy start their season against Oxford University with a large number of new faces as they begin the build up to this years Inter-Service competition. The starting line up will have 6 players who will pull the dark blue shirt on for the first time in the UK and only 5 players have survived from the same fixture last season, such has been the turn over of players due to operational commitments and retirements. One of the new players is Naval Airman (Kai) Beasley, who captained the RN U23's in their campaign at the end of 2011. Kai said of his selection, 'It is a great honour to playing for the Senior XV and I am looking forward to the challenge. ...
