Inter-Service Rugby 2009

By FLTLT Mark Chadwick (RNZAF Team Captain)

This year’s Inter-Service Rugby Tournament, held at Linton Army Camp 7–11 September, saw the Air Force team ready for the challenge.

Armed with representative players for Marlborough: CPL Scott Robinson and FLTLT Andrew Mockford; and for Horrowhenua: AC Josh White, and AC Bryce Hesselin; the bulk of the team assembled on the Friday before for a pre-tournament training camp.

With the tournament opening scheduled for Monday afternoon and Air not due to play until the Wednesday afternoon, it gave us plenty of time to build some team cohesion and pattern.

The Management Team constructed a solid game plan, particularly after watching the Navy forwards beat up Army by winning 15–13 on the first day of the tournament!

Game One

Right from the start the team was keen and took the ascendancy. Playing into a stiff wind, Air still managed to move the ball round the park and away from Navy’s strength. A try from AC Joe Morris enabled us to lead at half-time by 13 -7. Starting the second-half with a 6 point lead, together with the wind behind us, gave us a fair degree of confidence. However, Navy crept back in front with a late penalty and strong defence, leaving the two teams level at 19–all on the final whistle.

A draw left the organisers scrambling to establish what was required to confirm a tournament winner. Points are allocated 4 for a win - 1 for scoring four tries, 2 for a draw, and 1 for losing within seven points. If points are even, then the team having scored the most tries wins the tournament, if that is even then the King George V Cup is shared. Therefore, after two games Navy had 6 points (four tries), Air 2 points (one try) and Army 1 point (one try) - leaving a heap of calculations but all teams were still in contention.

Game Two - Final

1st Five CPL Scott Robinson kicks a penalty into touch

Air was struck with some sort of stomach bug overnight so we had a number of players feeling less than 100% going into the final game. After several personnel changes to accommodate the stomach bug and a couple of injuries, we again began the match playing into the wind.

We competed strongly throughout the first half, despite the lack of ‘go-forward’ ball and it was only a late Army try that had us behind 12–5 at half-time. That left both teams looking for the win and another two tries each going into the second half.

Air managed to draw two penalties, but Army got on top and rolled in another four tries to take the win, 29–11.

The result enabled Army to retain the King George V Cup over an unlucky Navy side that was unbeaten throughout the tournament.

Summary

Try scorer AC Morris

Despite the King George V Cup eluding Air Force once again, we played well and five Air Force players were announced in the NZDF representative squad:

• FLTLT Mark Chadwick
• CPL Scott Robinson
• SGT Jason Price
• AC Bryce Hesselin, and
• SGT Andy Tihore.

Special thanks to CPL Sav Cameron, who stepped in to fill a management gap for us, and to LAC Talia Dutton for her work keeping the players fit for each of the games.

THE RESULTS

1st: Army - 6 points, 5 tries
2nd: Navy - 6 points, 4 tries
3rd: Air - 2 points, 2 tries

Day 1: Navy 15 beat Army 13
Day 2: Navy 19 drew Air Force 19
Day 3: Army 28 beat Air Force 12

THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

THE AIR FORCE TEAM

Image Gallery - Issue 109