48 NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2010

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Seeing is believing – exclusive cutaway poster of HMS Queen Elizabeth

Seeing is

● RN No.8 Cpl Damian Chambers (UKLFCSG) powers through the Army defences

Pictures: PO(Phot) Paul A’Barrow, FRPU East

Last-gasp win ends nine-year wait

FOST for the first time

Daring goes through

Thursday’s child is full of war –

THE seemingly-inexorable Army steamroller was fi nally stopped as the Navy’s rugby union 1st XV claimed their fi r

turf.

A record crowd at the home of English rugby witnessed one of the most thrilling encounters between the men in blue and their arch rivals in red. The latter – numerous international and

Premiership players among them – were looking to be crowned Inter-Services Champions for the ninth successive year,

writes Lt Cdr Paula Rowe, RNRU.

And so the scene was set for a titanic clash which would see the Royal Navy aiming to change the Army motto ‘Reds on the March’.

The Army kicked off and Navy wing and England 7s International Josh Drauniniu (HMNB Portsmouth) collected the high ball to launch the fi rst Navy attack, clearly signalling their intent.

2001 on the hallowed Twickenham st victory since

Culdrose) converted the penalty to draw the sides level.

remaining, Army No.10, Fijian International Jack Prasad, showed his class and dummied the Navy’s defence to cross the line for the fi rst try of the afternoon (converted by Cummings). The Army’s second try came from a well- worked move across the back line to put Cummings over (try unconverted). Despite some good attacking moves by the Navy, the score remained 15-3 to the Army at half time.

The second period opened with both sides keen to build momentum and get the best possible attacking positions. Some strong Naval defending kept the soldiers’ attacks at bay and ten minutes into the second half the Army conceded a penalty at the breakdown. Dave Pascoe made no mistakes and kicked the Navy to within nine points of the Army.

With the Army and Navy trading kicks and attacking moves, it was almost 15 minutes of play before the soldiers took the fi rst points through a penalty for offside. Only fi ve minutes later, a penalty for ‘entering from the side’ of a ruck put the Navy in a scoring position. Skipper Dave Pascoe (RNAS

man behind – the rescues after Dunkirk

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Leave no

The soldiers struck back with their third try following a scrum ten metres from the Navy’s line.

With the scrum almost wheeled beyond 90˚, the Army scrum half found Prasad who quickly released the ball to centre Nacamavuto. His strong, angled run took him over for

With only 14 minutes of the fi rst half

the try, converted by Cummings. At this point, the Army’s 22-6 lead looked unassailable, but the Navy team stuck to the task and a penalty gave Pascoe another shot at goal. The score then stood at 22-9 with 20 minutes to go. Another penalty

obstruction, which resulted in a yellow card for Army prop Chris Budgen, allowed Pascoe to pull back three more points. The RN looked confi dent and calm under

for

increasing time pressure. Further driving play caused major confusion in the Army defence and when replacement lock David Bates cynically obstructed a Navy blindside move, he joined Budgen in a now over- crowded Army sin bin. From the resultant penalty the Navy opted to kick for touch. Despite a short delay, Navy replacement Ben

hooker

maintained his composure and found Cornish colleague Marsh Cormack with his throw. A strong driving maul allowed Priddey to spin off and cross the line for the Navy’s fi rst try. Pascoe converted to pull the score back to 22-19. The crowd collectively held its breath as the Army missed a penalty kick; the Navy was still in with a chance to win with only minutes remaining on the clock. The hero of the hour was Gareth Evans (UKLFCSG),

who eluded a number of Army defenders to cross

 Continued on page 46 the Navy tight-head prop, Priddey (RNAS Culdrose)

Navy enjoys court ruling

THE Navy lifted tennis’ Inter- Services ‘B’ Championship trophy at the Army Tennis Centre in Andover after a nailbiting fi nale. ET(ME) Richard Drew

(pictured above by LA(Phot) Chris

Mumby) got the Navy off to an impeccable start winning his fi rst single’s match 6-0, 6-3 against the

RAF, writes Lt Richie Moss, RNTA.

Richard was fi rst spotted at

last year’s Navy Championships in Portsmouth. Sensing a star in the making, he was provisionally selected for the B team and was immediately put forward as men’s No.1 – an incredible achievement in his fi rst appearance for the RN. Richard, who started playing tennis aged fi ve and went on to win the U18s Yorkshire County Doubles before joining the Navy two years ago, followed his fi rst win with an impressive thumping victory over the Army 6-0, 6-1 vindicating the decision by team captain, Cdr Nigel Bowen, to put him at No.1. The engineer was the best

player of all three Services by a clear margin, and will no doubt be representing the RN at the Inter-Services A tournament later this season. The Navy’s No.2 Mne Nathan

Jackson also got off to a good start winning his fi rst set against the Army 6-3. But at 5-2 down in the second set it looked likely that his fi rst match was going to go to a third set but Nathan bravely battled back and eventually won the set (7-5) and the match. Although he lost his second

rubber against the RAF 4-6, 6-7 the Navy went into the second day tied with the RAF on three rubbers each; the Army failed to win any of their matches. Surg Lt (D) Bryony Southorn also got the women’s team off to a superb start winning her fi rst match against the Army 6-3, 6-1. She also convincingly swept her RAF opponent off the court in her second game: 6-0, 6-0. The contest resumed on the

Sunday with the doubles matches. The women’s team narrowly missed out, but the men’s competition was decided on the last match of the day. The No.1 pairing of Nathan and Richard won their fi rst match against the RAF 6-2, 6-2. After consultation with coach Kevin Baker, team captain Nigel Bowen decided to play Lt Duncan Thomas and CPO ET(WE) Martin Shortt at No.2 – two players who had never partnered each other. They narrowly won their fi rst

 Continued on page 46

match against the Army in a third-set tie-break, but a more critical moment was to follow during their second rubber – the last match of the tournament. At six rubbers to four in favour of the Navy and with the RAF’s No.1 pairing winning against the Army in the third round, it was crucial that the Navy got

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