NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007 47
RN destroy
Third time lucky for Heron
Montrose
Air Force
mauled
THIS year’s Navy Cup fi nal 88th minute through a penalty,
THE RN rugby 1st XV
took place at Burnaby Road
Onside with Capt Paul
snatching a 2-1 victory.
in Pompey on a very pleasant It was, nevertheless, a
by Lions
continued their march to
Twickenham with a resounding
sunny afternoon at the end of
Cunningham, RNFA
pleasing performance from our
win 57-3 against the Royal Air
March and saw HMS Heron young team against far more A SODDEN rugby pitch at
Force at Newbury, writes Roger
appearing in the decider for the experienced opposition. Carney Park in Naples was the
Thompson.
third consecutive year. The following week, despite setting for the NATO Lions’ most
The matelots savoured victory
Their opponents, the Fleet some squandered Navy chances resounding win so far this season
with an astonishing array of
Protection Group RM, were in front of goal, our inexperience against HMS Montrose’s 1st XV.
tries from their backs once the
making their fi rst appearance at His strike was cancelled out Services matches for the U21s. was more evident against the It took only four minutes
this stage of the competition. by FPG substitute Neil Fellowes It all started so promisingly in Army. for the Lions to make their
forwards had seized the game by
During a scrappy 90 minutes, with just fi ve minutes on the the fi rst match against the RAF, The soldiers banged in fi ve mark, when Martin ‘Taff’ John
the scruff of the neck.
where both sides proved to be clock. where the Navy team played goals without reply, due in part scored the fi rst try of the game,
The blunt truth is that an
evenly-matched, neither could Heron won the ensuing well throughout and deservedly to four of the RN U21 squad coming from a powerful attack
overstretched RAF was unable
fi nd the goal despite several penalty shoot-out and were took the lead after 26 minutes being away on duty with the straight from the kick-off. This
to meet the Navy on equal terms
close calls. naturally delighted to have won through OM McEvoy. seniors. inspirational start for the home
anywhere outside the scrum
The match promptly went the cup having come so close in However the RAF equalised More information on these side set the tone for the remainder
and although the airmen rallied
into extra time, with the airmen 2005 and 2006. just after half-time and with a matches and impending of the game.
manfully to play some fl uent
scoring in the fi rst period Elsewhere, there was a draw seeming ever more likely, fi xtures can be found at www. Fantastic support play,
rugby in the third quarter, they
courtesy of NA Danny Card. disappointing pair of Inter- the RAF won the match in the royalnavyfa.com. excellent ball handling,
were playing only for pride.
powerful rucking and a towering
The new regime under Navy
performance from Pete Woodson
selecter and head coach Mark
in the lineout prevented the
Deller is producing some very
opposition from getting their
balanced and exciting rugby.
hands on the ball.
Skipper Dave Pascoe continues
With play not leaving the
to lead from the front whilst fl y
opposition’s half, the Lions
half Matt Rhodes launched the continued to pound the boys
Dark Blues backs with a stream of from the RN, piling on the points
swift well-directed passes. with tries from Rick Pellicciotti
There is no doubt, though, that and Cedric Victor backed up by
the large calibre guns are in the Rolo Benglan’s rapier-like boot
centre and on the wings. dissecting the posts with penalties
The Navy backs are like a front and conversions.
row with the skids under them. By the end of a staggering fi rst
They are big and powerful but quarter the visitors were 23-0
they are also gifted footballers down.
and each one is a game breaker. The ball seemed to be almost
Jamie Caruana and Greg stuck to the Lions’ hands as
Barden are alert to the tactical Montrose tried in vain to regain
opportunities and there is a
possession as they fought to
synergism as each plays off the
defend their line from another
other.
Lions attack before Lions captain
One delightful try, which ended
Craig Farrington carried the ball
Caruana to Barden then to Fijian
over to score yet another try,
wing Josh Drauniniu came from
which was once again converted,
each pass being held until the
taking the score at the end of the
moment of maximum effect – by
second quarter to 38-0.
which time it was too late for the
The third and fourth quarters
RAF.
saw the visitors push hard
Each of the remaining tries
to salvage their pride with a
came from the marauding
number of promising breaks,
presence of one of the backs
but the Lions’ characteristically
who broke suffi cient tackles and
solid defence showed no sign of
willpower to provide an overlap.
breaching as the home players
Drauniniu scored two in the fi rst
repelled the Montrose’s best
half and when rugby league star
effort of the game by recovering
Silivenusi Buinimasi came on as a
substitute centre, the air defence
was in tatters.
It would be wrong not to
record the most unexpected 50m
SStox and ’tox and ’sstonetone
the ball only a yard from their
try line.
That was the closest the visitors
would get to scoring.
The Lions ended the game as
break of the season by veteran
they had begun – with excellent
prop Dan Parkes.
interplay between forwards and
After a deal of thumping and
backs, some dazzling footwork
MECHANICAL problems thwarted stock car That was as good as it got, sadly; with his of wheels.
from newcomer Lawrence Tracey
casting off would-be tacklers, racer PO(PT) John Kind’s efforts in the open- car still not performing as it should, the senior The opening race of the day saw the lead-
and the omnipresent force of
Parkes found himself with the ball ing round of the Brisca F2 Championship at rating reluctantly decided to retire from the ing hand climb to a pleasing 13th place. That
back-row forward Sam Taylor.
in space. Somerset’s Smeatharpe stadium. day’s racing. earned him a place of 26th in the starting line-
They ensured that the visitors
He took the option to run and John, a member of the RN Automobile He did, however, earn five points at up for the afternoon race, by which time the
could only watch as both man of
outstripped all but the fi nal line of Club based at RNAS Culdrose, headed to the Smeatharpe which will hopefully push him weather had improved sufficiently for him to
the match Rick Pellicciotti and
Light Blue cover. track near Taunton to race at the A-Grade level towards achieving his Star Grade by the end replace wet tyres with dry ones.
Lions talisman Cedric Victor
Power is the essence of the (hence the blue roof of his car). of the season (and allow him to race with a red After climbing his way through the ranks up
notched up their hat-tricks, whilst
Navy game and they are to a man Unfortunately, the gremlins struck, dogging roof on his car). to the first corner, he was crowded out at the
Rolo Benglan put the icing on
highly mobile. his John Harding V12 F2 racer with electrical ■ Another RN motor sports buff has been next one and struggled to fight his way through
the cake with a fi ne goal-kicking
You can stake your last dollar problems. back on the track after the winter-break. the positions before the chequered flag came
display, taking the fi nal score to
on the fact that after this 50- That said, the PTI and his team tinkered Motorcyclist LAET Jamie Adam (846 NAS) down with him in 27th place after averaging
55-0.
point victory they are massively sufficiently to get the motor running for the took his Suzuki GSXR600 on to the hallowed 80mph around Silverstone.
motivated for their meeting with consolation race – 16 laps of the 355-yard oval tarmac at Silverstone for the opening round of “Overall it’s been a steady start to the sea-
the Army at Twickenham. track. NG Road Racing. son,” said Jamie.
Tickets for the decisive RN- John (pictured above by PO ‘Dutchy’ Holland On a cold, wet day in Northamptonshire/ “I’ve moved into a new class from racing in
A gig worth
Army clash on May 5 are available of SCU Leydene) tore around the small track Buckinghamshire (the course straddles the two the mini-twin championship. The main thing
at www.navyrugbyunion.co.uk in four minutes to take eighth place, posting counties), Jamie lined up 22nd on the grid (out is that I got through the opening weekend
a best lap time of 13.795 seconds – just two of 40) – not bad given the track conditions and unscathed and have built up confidence on attending
hundredths behind the fastest lap time. the fact this was his first race on his new set my bike.”
THE rowers of HMS Raleigh will
Mhariri and Gary are the dynamic dua
be in action off the Scilly Isles
this month as they challenge for
the world gig championships.
A team from the Torpoint
BLUE skies and warm weather
establishment took part in the
greeted the 120 athletes who
renowned race 12 months ago
took part in the Royal Navy
where they came 73rd in their
duathlon championships at
debut appearance.
Southwick Park (pictured, left).
That inaugural race for
The race consisted of a 5km
the Raleigh team – a mix of
cross country course followed
sailors and Flagship personnel
by a hilly two-lap 30km cycle
– provided numerous pointers
ride before tackling the cross
to help the squad prepare for
country course one more time.
the 2007 race.
After the fi rst run Sgt Mark
Competitors race a 32ft
Goodridge led followed by Cpl
standard Cornish gig, with six
Gary Gerrard – who quickly
oarsmen providing the power
took the lead during the bike
and a coxswain guiding them.
● A rather apprehensive-looking
CPO(ACMN) ‘Darby’ Allen under
and held off everyone to win
Racers from across the globe
bombardment during another
the male and veterans’ prize
converge on the Scillies for the
game of dodgeball aboard HMS
in convincing style, more than
event, which this year will take
Ocean...
two minutes ahead of Sgt
place between May 4 and 7.
The sport proved particular
Goodridge. LD Billy Holman
Raleigh’s gig Jupiter has
popular in African waters last
came third.
spent the winter out of the
autumn, so one of the lift wells
In the ladies’ race LMA
water for an overhaul and has
was converted to a dodgeball
Mhariri Muir led the fi eld from
been re-painted in a fine red
arena as Ocean headed across
the start, fi nishing strongly to
and white livery. The boat
the Atlantic.
record a fi ne win in 1h 45m 7s,
has also been blessed by RN
Some 20 teams took part,
fi ve minutes faster than her
chaplain Rev Stan Kennon.
including the Right Said Freds
nearest challenger.
“There’s a mix of new blood
(from the chiefs’ mess), the
The race goes from strength
in this year’s team, as well as
wrestlers (from the POs’ mess)
to strength and the feedback
some experience,” said captain
and a full surgical green team
to the organisers was excellent
David King.
(from the medical department).
with competitors fi nding the
“We’re hoping to improve
Picture: LA(Phot) Ray Jones, HMS Ocean course challenging and fun.
upon last year’s position.”
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