NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2007 51
No chivalry One-eighth
from Knights
wonder on
AFTER a thrilling fi rst-round
HMS Mersey
victory, the RN rugby league
squad came within a whisker of
NOW here’s a gauntlet laid down
reaching the next stage of the
to the rest of the Fleet...
Challenge Cup.
Can any ship or unit match the
Normanton Knights again
the talent of fishery protection
proved the bogey side (the
ship HMS Mersey and her ‘sport
sides have met in the cup three
in depth’?
times in the past four years) in
One in eight of her crew are
a scrappy yet high-scoring affair
sportsmen and women for the
in Portsmouth, writes WO Keith
Senior Service at representative
Humpleby, RNRL spokesman.
level – not bad going for a ship
The Knights had obviously
which boasts a complement of
done their homework and had
just 47.
targeted RN scrum half and
The magnificent six are:
playmaker Scott Partis, and on
Lt Helen Coxon (Mersey’s
just three minutes he put through
correspondence and sports
a kick on the last tackle and was
officer), a member of the RN
then fl attened well after the kick
kayak team; she has recently
by the Knights’ hooker Chris
returned from an expedition
Woolford.
to Uganda and helped guide
After a brief chat with his
the side to victory in the Inter-
touch judges, referee Ian Jefferson
Services ladies’ canoe polo;
dismissed Woolford for the
S/Lt Carla Blunt, who toured
offence and he took no further
South Africa with the RN netball
part in the game.
side and will captain the second
The fi rst score of the match
team in this year’s Inter-Services
however went to the visitors as the
at RAF Cosford;
RN were penalised for holding
S/Lt Dave Berry, who was
down and scrum half Michael
selected for last year’s RN-Army
Hill duly kicked the goal from
rugby union clash at Twickenham
under the posts.
and also toured South Africa with
Following good pressure from
the squad last autumn;
the RN with play concentrated
LOGS Mark Winnal, a former
in the Knights’ half, a great
U21 Inter-Service hockey
sweeping move across the fi eld
champion and current member of
through fi ve pairs of hand saw
the RN squad;
James Wagstaffe cross for the try
LOGS Greg King, a member
and put the RN ahead. Partis was
of the RN’s senior basketball
on target with the conversion to
● The Army’s keeper plucks the ball out of the air under pressure from the RN during the squaddies’ 1-0 triumph at Fratton Park
put his side ahead 6-2.
Picture: LSA Simpson
team;
AB(WS) Ricky Stenning,
As became the pattern
crowned champion novice at the
throughout the match, the
Knights responded to this score a
few minutes later, another penalty
gave them valuable territory
before left wing Andrew Greaves
went over in the corner.
A drubbing and
RN boxing championships.
And the reason for this rich
pool of talent aboard the ship
(apart from a little help from
Drafty)?
“Mersey has a gym which
Two penalties in fairly quick
would be the envy of most ships,”
succession gave Normanton a
says Commanding Officer Lt Cdr
four point lead at the break, 10-6.
Jonathon Lett.
The second half began in
the worst possible way for the
home side, the Normanton
kick-off hung in the wind and
the RN defence failed to gather
so immediately Normanton had
a sucker punch
“It’s equipped with satellite TV,
a music system with surround
sound, two running machines,
two exercise bikes, two rowing
machines and one stepper, not to
mention free weights and a punch
possession. Three tackles later
bag.”
sub James Smith forced his way
over the line close to the posts
and with Hill’s conversion the THE Senior side must be
French mauled
Normanton lead was now ten
disappointed with their Onside with Capt Paul Cunningham, RNFA
points.
marina Continued from back page
The RN responded instantly;
results after a whitewash
a promising move down the right
in this year’s Inter-Service
The Babcock Trophy was
wing by Buinimasi was held up championships.
presented to Dave Pascoe and
and as the ball came into centre First, they played poorly against But having the lion’s share of be followed at www.dallascup. strike from 30 yards which drifted
the veteran CPO(AET) Stu Moss
fi eld Scott Partis was once again the RAF at RAF Uxbridge and possession means nothing if you com. over the head of LOM Kelly
(RNAS Yeovilton) was voted the
hammered by the defence. were left licking wounds after a don’t take your chances and the Riddell (JSU Northwood) and
RN Man of the Match by the
Partis still sent Chris Thomson
5-0 drubbing. The less said about Navy should have converted at RN WOMEN 1 PORTSMOUTH POLICE into the net.
French management team.
away and the prop did the rest,
that, the better. least one of the opportunities they LADIES 1 It was particularly hard on
Overall, this was a dogged
crashing over for his fi rst try
A week later saw the side playing created for themselves. Kelly as she had only been on
performance with better evidence
of the season. Partis coolly put
to re-establish some pride against We all hope for better fortune The RN(W) entertained the Police the park for two minutes. In
of a more streetwise approach –
over the conversion, the perfect
the Army at Fratton Park. next season, and the performance of Portsmouth, with a change in the the post-match interview with
so lacking in Ireland last month.
response to the foul play.
In front of a bumper crowd of of many of the Navy’s younger line up due to Combined Services the local TV networks, manager
Interestingly, BFBS sports
This passage of play had the
nearly 1,600 very vocal supporters, players will have given our coaches call-ups. MA Michelle Armer Lou Lewis (HMS Sultan) said
reporter Jon Knighton conducted
Normanton side rocking and
doubtless attracted by the free some cause for optimism. (Fort Blockhouse) returned for he was disappointed with the
a number of live radio broadcasts
barely three minutes after the
admission, excellent RM band and On a more positive note... The the fi rst time this season, and OM result, stating that he felt the girls
throughout the game which were
conversion the Brothers were
pleasant weather, the Navy team U18s have secured £5,000 from Becky Charker (HMS Sultan) was had played the better football,
carried to all ships and units
there again with a try for Lee
played exceptionally well for the Paradigm Secure Communications also back. especially in the second half, and
overseas. The broadcaster also
Rossiter out wide to level the
full 90 minutes, going down to a (who provide the MOD’s welfare The Navy started well and they had the best of the chances,
televised the entire match.
scores.
sucker-punch tap-in by the Army communications package for units after three mins confusion in the which they couldn’t convert into
At Command level, the Fleet
A quick response from the
on 38 minutes. on deployment)to take part in the police penalty box led to the ball goals. Air Arm hold the bragging rights
Knights – a converted try – and
The RN’s guests of honour were annual Dallas Cup, one of the being spilled and LAEM Linzi The defence is starting to look for the next 12 months after an
then the RN struck back once
Sir David Richards, Chairman world’s greatest tournaments for Gascoigne (HMS Sultan) having settled, with OM Izzy Molyneaux- extremely tight and hard-fought
more. Tyler Helm found himself
of the FA Premier League and youth football. an open goal to roll the ball home. Jacobs (HMS Exeter) doing a victory over the Royal Marines in
in acres of space just inside
Football Foundation, and Second The RN won the competition The rest of the fi rst half was good job out of position at right the Inter-Command trophy.
the Normanton half. Steaming
Sea Lord Vice Admiral Adrian in 1981 and has been the only scrappy but the Navy played back. The midfi eld was as strong The decisive points came only
straight for the line he won the
Johns. team invited to play in all 28 much better in the second as always, with the added threat moments before the final whistle
race to score his fi rst try of the
Together with the extensive tournaments to date. half, continuing to push for the of pace from both fl anks. Upfront, when the well-drilled forwards
season, unfortunately Partis was
list of senior guests from both This year the U18s will be important second goal. the return of LAEA Gascoigne of the FAA forced the ball down
just wide with the conversion but
services, everyone agreed that competing alongside their A save from the police keeper (three goals in two games) and following a maul and drive.
the gap was now just two points.
while the Army had shown some counterparts from Chelsea, Real on 70 minutes led to her clearance the encouraging fi rst couple of
With the additional points
The visitors made their fi nal
superior technical skills, the Navy Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt. being misjudged by NA Amy King performances from AEM Danielle
kicked, the final whistle sounded
and decisive score after 56
had played well enough to earn a The competition runs from April (HMS Seahawk). The police’s Tulley, has given the coach a few
and the Marines were completely
minutes with stand-off Richard
draw (at least). 1-9 and the squad’s progress can right winger tried a speculative options.
deflated at the whistle, beaten
Dobson scoring under the posts;
17–14.
the conversion gave the Knights
a 28-20 lead as the game entered
Stallions and Satan no match for the RN
There had been excellent
the last quarter.
interplay between the Corps
The Normanton line came
forwards and backs and in the
under intense pressure but held
early stages they looked capable
fi rm until the 68th minute before THE winning streak for the resurgent ice the Slough skaters were no match for the RN As was the case the night before, the
of running away with the
Chris Thomson linked with RN hockey side, the Royal Navy Destroyers, has side. Destroyers’ attack proved too much for the
game but Naval Air Command
skipper Danny Johnson who cut persisted with victories against the Slough After a close fi rst period that fi nished with opposition while the defence did well to protect
closed the game down at every
through the defence and crossed Satans and the REME Stallions. the score tied 4-4, the Destroyers slowly pulled the RN’s inexperienced keeper in a lop-sided
opportunity and made their slight
under the posts giving Partis a The Satans clash was a last-minute affair away from the middle of the second period on 17-6 victory.
superiority in the forwards count.
straightforward conversion. after the planned game against the Basingstoke the way to 17-8 fi nal score. Despite the victories, RNIHA chairman
A good number of senior
This time however the RN Hyenas had to be called off because of problems Mne Dan White (40 Cdo) and WEA Kieran Lt Cdr Alain Bernard (FOST) says no-one is
representative players turned out
came up just short on the day with the ice at Basingstoke. Wilson (HMS Collingwood) led the Destroyers’ complacent with the Tri-Service championship
for their respective Commands
and could not claw back the With many players already en route from attack with six goals each while Cave also looming.
which undoubtedly raised the
two points and at the whistle various locations across the UK, team manager contributed three goals in the victory. “We have been lucky to play inexperienced
standard of the game.
Normanton were winners by the OM(W) Kevin Cave (HMS Lancaster) worked The following day saw the Destroyers take on opposition in 2007,” he added.
Dave Pascoe, the NAC captain,
narrowest of margins at 26-28. hard to secure an alternative match to ensure what has traditionally been the Forces’ strongest “Recent play has been dominated by
received the Inverdale Trophy
Whilst not a vintage Brothers the journeys had not been in vain. team, the REME Stallions in Bracknell. individual efforts – our stronger players have
from TV sports presenter John
performance, the RN team did He managed to get the Destroyers a game But with many of the regular Stallions players been able to skate at will against weaker service Inverdale and the ‘men of air’
their best against a Normanton against a surprised Slough Satans squad, many away in Iraq and Afghanistan, REME had to teams. This will not be the case in forthcoming now have the opportunity to take
side unbeaten in nine previous of whom had simply turned up for their regular dress many new and inexperienced players fi xtures.” up the invitation of the French
matches and who used all their Saturday training session. against the half-strength (for more or less the See www.piczo.com/rnicehockey for more Navy to play a regional side in
guile. With many of the top Satans’ players missing, same reasons) Destroyers squad. information on the Destroyers Brest as their reward.
51_NN_Apr.indd 1 19/3/07 15:24:58
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