Army - The Soldiers' Newspaper

Ouch! That has got to hurt! An Army player suffers a heavy tackle during the historic competition final, which saw Army beat Navy 22-10. 2003 marks the first year the competition has been played in a tri-service style, rather than by region.
Photo by Michael Weaver, Service newspapers

Results

Game 1:
Navy def Air Force 22-12

Game 2:
Army def Air Force 42-4

Game 3: Army def Navy 22-10

Player of the carnival
Tpr Kurt Bryant, 2/14LHR

An Army player charges through a strong opponent.

Thunder struck
Army wins inaugural service championship

By Michael Weaver
THE Army rugby league side forged itself as the dominant force at the inaugural ADF Interservice Rugby League Carnival in Canberra recently.

The Army ‘Thunder’ side struck two convincing victories against Air Force and Navy, with the 22-10 victory against Navy giving it the first national inter-service title.

Previous ADF rugby league carnivals have been state-based, with players from all three services representing their area or state. Now, with the growth of rugby league in the ADF, there has been enough scope to run a national carnival pitting the respective service teams against each other, increasing interservice rivalry.

Navy and Air Force locked horns in the opening encounter, with Navy going to an early lead, which it took to the half-time break, with a score of 14 points to nil.

With the Air Force skipper, LAC and halfback Kaine Tessier taken to hospital suffering concussion, the RAAFies looked ruined but managed to salvage two second-half tries from the wreckage following well-worked kicks.

But that was not enough to win the match, with Navy recording a solid 22-10 victory.

Air Force then came up against Army two days later, with Army proving a red-hot opposition with a thumping 42-4 victory.

This left Navy and Army to battle it out for the national title in the third game after drenching rain had created a somewhat dampened track at Queanbeyan’s Seiffert Oval.

Army led 4-0 after 10 minutes and capitalised on the Navy’s poor ball control to take an 8-0 lead into the break, with tries to Pte Craig Nicholls and Tpr Kirk Bryant.

Navy upped the ante in the second half, but Army replied – winger Tpr Trent Allan scoring the first of his two tries to take Army to a lead of 14-0.

Army virtually sealed the match two minutes later, when Allan scored again to take the margin to 20-0.

Navy’s LS Adrian Adams and team captain, Sub-Leut Dave Wallis added consolation tries towards the end of the game for a 22-10 scoreline.

Army coach WO2 Al Lynch capped a successful carnival by being named coach of the Combined Australian Services Rugby League team, in which 11 of his players were also honoured with selection, refelcting the strength of rugby league within the Army’s ranks.