48 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008
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● Flying without wings... the RM Zapcats bounce off the
waves in Watergate Bay in the fi nal round of the season
Picture: PO(Phot) Sean Clee, RN Photographer of the Year (Again)
Eastern
promises
– in the
Indian Ocean
with Kent
Leagues ahead
End of the
(Watergate)
affair
AFTER a winter of fixing,
FOR the first time in the
painting, testing and
11-year history of Rugby
selecting the Royal Marines
League in the Service
Zapcat Racing Team were
ready to enter into battle on
the Brothers lifted the the high seas for another
Babcock-sponsored Inter
season, but this year with a
Services Trophy in front
five-boat team.
of their home fans with a
The team of four old
hands and six rookies
’warking tall
convincing win over the assembled for the first
RAF.
Grand Prix weekend with
– amphibious
The victory rounded off a
feelings of trepidation,
thrilling and emotional ten days
nervousness and excitement
war games
of competition for the Senior
and that was just the old
Service’s three Rugby League
hands.
in Scotland
sides which saw the RNRL Ladies
The team progressed well
make their first appearance on
throughout the season as
the Inter-Services stage as well as
they raced their way around
valiant effort by the Academy side
the various UK venues finally
to wrest the IS trophy from the
ending in Watergate Bay
Army, writes WO1 Keith Humpleby,
Newquay (which is Zapcat
RNRL spokesman.
‘racing Mecca’ apparently).
Going into the first match
The season was dogged
against the Army as underdogs in
with bad luck for at least
most people’s eyes, the RN squad
one boat per event, but
demonstrated a new spirit and
that said the team always
determination despite the absence
managed to get the racers
of key players from past campaigns.
out on the water – even
Seven new caps featured in the
if it was in a borrowed
starting line-up continuing head
craft or cobbled- together
Back to the
coach Wayne Okell’s inclusive
Frankenstein’s Monster.
approach to team selection.
At one stage in
In the opening exchanges of
Littlehampton three of five
beaches –
both matches, this young Brothers
boats were out of action,
side proved that they can defend
all at the hands of one Nick
re-learning
and mix it with the best as they
Clarke.
kept their respective opponents to
However thanks to a team
the lessons
relatively modest scores.
effort (and a large cheque)
In the first match an imperious
they were back on the water
kicking performance by full back
● Crunch time – the RNRL Academy side halt the RAF’s progress in a demolition of the fl iers at Burnaby for the next race.
of Normandy
Dane Smallbone backed up some
Road Picture: LA(Phot) Knotty Knott, FRPU East The squad finished the
wonderful tries from Jim Barnes,
season in Newquay and for
Tom Boyce, James Wagstaffe and
in a tense but very enthralling an historic victory for the RNRL Ladies’ Young Player of the
once all boats left the arena
man of the match Lewis Taylor.
encounter. Ladies. Year: Fiesha Green
of battle intact despite some
The conversions were rounded
The RNRL ladies made their Unsurprisingly Fiesha Green Ladies Player of the Year:
testing conditions.
off by two well-taken kicks from
first Inter-Services appearance – was rewarded for her four-try haul Rachel Mifsud
However the event was
young scrum half Alex Scruton,
played in the same format as the with the ‘man’ of the match gong. Most Valuable Contribution
not without drama for the
whose first points were from a
men’s game. In the Academy tournament to RNRL: James Wagstaffe
commandos,
touchline conversion in front of
It was the Army first and the RN fell agonisingly short of & Darren West
Boat 41 (Pete Royston/
the stand packed full of Army
somewhat predictably the vastly- taking the title from the Army, Young Players of the Year:
Andy Farmer) managed
supporters.
to capsize yet again (the
more-experienced Army side ran but despite putting 56 points past Alex Scruton and Ben
The final score was 40-18 in the
sixth time this year), Boat
out comfortable winners. the RAF they only tied on points Taylor
RN’s favour.
42 driver Ali Allingham
All credit to the RN ladies, difference with the Army, who Gareth White Kia Kaha
Pull-out
The RAF have proved to be the
decided to eject himself
Navy’s nemesis over the past three
however; they fought to the end retained the trophy. Award: Dane Smallbone
from the craft leaving his
years but this time it was the RN
and almost scored their first points Both matches provided great
Man of Steel: Jim Barnes
co-pilot H Harriman to
Commando
who took the spoils to clinch the
but the play was adjudged to have entertainment for spectators with
To round off a great weekend, cope with the waves on his
Inter-Services trophy.
been a double movement. some wonderful skills on show
the squad was selected for the own (something that he’d
supplement
In a tense first half, the only
So it was back to RNRL HQ throughout.
forthcoming Armed Forces World had to do on a number of
scores were a try apiece, Barnes
to face the RAF. This time the Hooker Johnny Platt had two
Cup competition in Australia occasions this year).
for the Navy and Turner for
RN dominated and came out on great games, bagging five tries
alongside the full International Not to be outdone by
the RAF. This low score did
top 34-6. across both matches earning him
World Cup. these two mishaps Boat
Plus
not represent an enthralling 40
Winger Emma Swinton earned man of the match for the RAF
As usual Clive ‘Perry’ Mason 36 (‘Naz’/Jimmy Johnson)
minutes as both sides probed the
the honour of scoring the first fixture (prop Ben Cartwright took
has organised the tour on behalf of decided they would take
opposition defence to make the
Inter-Services try for the ladies the same title in the Army clash).
Combined Services and the squad Capt Richie Lake’s advice
breakthrough.
after barely three minutes. Despite not scoring, scrum half
will be coached by Wayne Okell (about not slowing down too
Kings of the
This carried over into the
Loose forward Fiesha Green Ben Taylor was very influential in
along with top civilian coach Ray much for the large waves) to
second half and it wasn’t until
was next up with the first of her both games in his first season for
Unsworth.
the extreme and tried to put
Mountains –
60 minutes had passed before
four tries on the day goaled by RNRL.
After outstanding performances
themselves into orbit.
the breakthrough came with Pete
Sam Alderson. Despite the disappointment of
during the Inter-Services
Unfortunately their aerial
Corps’ elite
Howe gathering a spilled catch to
By half time the ‘Wrenegades’ falling just short, it was a great
competition the following players
extravaganza was only
take his team into the lead.
had pushed their lead out to series for the Academy under
were selected for the tour: Kev
ever going to end one way.
Two further tries – one for
14-0. the ‘new management’ of James Botwood, Lee Rossiter, Alex Upside down.
climbers
James Wagstaffe and a fantastic
The second half went for the Arnold and Howard Cooper. Scruton, Jim Barnes, Dane As for the old hands,
team try finally scored by Scruton
most part the way of the home The day after the Burnaby Road Smallbone, Jamie Goss, Lewis Boat 14 (crewed by the Holt
– sealed a 20-4 victory and the IS side although RAF skipper Vicky triumph, the RNRL Association Taylor, Dave Gee, Danny Johnson
brothers) managed to keep
title for the RN. Dillon crossed for a consolation celebrated its annual awards at with Sili Buinimasi, James
themselves upright and were
RN skipper and prop Jamie Goss try. the Portsmouth Hilton – a great Wagstaffe, Andrew Dennis and
not disqualified (a first).
received the man-of-the-match Three more scores from Green evening capped by the awarding Gareth Cadmore standing by as
marina Continued on page 47
title for a real captain’s ‘knock’ and a second from Swinton sealed of this year’s trophies: reserves.
Published by Navy News, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth and printed by St Ives (Andover) plc.
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