The eve of the Army v Navy match is a rare occasion for the Royal Navy Rugby Union, the one night in the year when all three teams - Senior XV, Women and Veterans, are gathered together in the same place. Joined by the RNRU President, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, Chairman Colonel Ewen Murchison, the Executive Committee, family, friends and other essential members of the organisation, they shared the excitement and anticipation ahead of match day. A fleeting visit by Scotland and Saracens player Jim Hamilton and his team mate Kelly Brown, was sufficient time for Jim to present the Senior XV with their shirts and to share a few stories about his playing career and his long-time friend,...
The sun was shining at RAF Halton when the RAF and RN Senior XV teams stepped out onto the pitch for the opening match in their 2017 Inter Service competition. The next 80 minutes passed in a frenzy of fantastic rugby, both teams evenly matched, as with each quarter the scoreboard kept creeping up. But when the final whistle sounded it was the RAF Senior XV who were smiling; they could put behind them the 2016 one point defeat at Burnaby Road, going one better by beating the Royal Navy by two points with a 16 - 14 win. The match started at an extremely high pace, both sides wanted to make an early impression and get some points on the board. However an infringement by...
The highlight of the Services' Rugby calendar gets underway this Wednesday when the Royal Navy travel to RAF Halton to take on the Royal Air Force in the first instalment of the 2017 Inter Service competition. Spectators will be treated to a trio of matches, commencing at 1030 with the Veterans' match, followed by the Women at 1230 and the Senior XV at 1500. The Royal Navy Mariners will be looking to avenge their home defeat at the hands of the RAF Vultures last April. Losing several players to injury and making a series of unforced errors, the Mariners never got into their stride, and it wasn't until the final minutes of the match that Russ Sayer scored the con...
The rugby pitch in front of HMS Drake Wardroom was the venue for the latest instalment of the 'Entente Cordial' between the Women of the Royal Navy and the Marine Nationale Feminines. The sun was shining; conditions were perfect for an afternoon of exciting rugby. And the ladies didn't disappoint, with 7 tries, 1 penalty try, 2 yellow cards and a red card the spectators were enthralled to see the French team win their 6th match in a row 17 - 35. In the first half the teams appeared fairly evenly matched, as play and possession alternated from one end to the other. Early mistakes by the Royal Navy and some excellent French work in the lineout gave the French Women the e...
