February sapper mag:Layout 1 21/1/09 16:19 Page 46
WAR Down Under
Even rugby girls can scrub up reasonably well for the End of Season Dinner !
F
ounded 11 years ago and with a 10 won, 2 lost season forward to the decisive International Inter Service Games.
behind us, the Women’s Army Rugby team was ready Upon our arrival in Wellington the team was announced to play
for its biggest challenge yet; flying to New Zealand where the New Zealand Army. After training sessions at brilliant facilities
rugby appears to be second nature to pretty much everyone and we moved to Palmerston North where we would play the match.
taking on the New Zealand Army and Navy on their home A tense warm-up and as the crowd started arriving for the
ground. The British Inter-Services had been a great success for game and the atmosphere grew. We knew this would be our
us and we wanted to maintain our unbeaten record against our toughest game of the tour and the riling Haka before the game
antipodeans counterparts. However, we all know how Kiwi’s just built on our excitement and anticipation. As expected, the
play rugby and we knew these would be tough games. game was tough and physical and both teams were well-
The evening after our end of season dinner night, 38 hung matched in most aspects. It was the Kiwi’s who scored first
over rugby players, coaches and a physio made their way to with a brilliant penalty kick. The score then remained 3-0 until
Heathrow to begin their journey. late into the second half when we managed to find a gap in the
Our first game was just two days after our arrival in New defence and score a well deserved try putting us ahead 3-5.
Zealand – a friendly against what we thought would be a With 5 minutes to the end in a low scoring game, everyone
Canterbury development team. Apparently, we had been hyped (apparently except the Kiwi girls) thought it was all over. A
up in the local press and Canterbury had decided to make it an foolish assumption as it turned out when the Kiwi’s came
invitation team instead. Unfortunately for us, they invited 11 straight back and scored a fantastic forwards’ try. With the
Black Ferns, the female equivalent of the All Blacks. Our score now against us again we had to pull something out of the
development team fought to the end but was defeated 57 – 0. bag in the dying minutes of the game. That something was a
Considering the team we had played we took this very much break down the left wing by LCpl Jane Leonard, supported by
as a learning experience and found many positives to take the rest of the team. Although Jane was stopped short of the
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