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Navy Titans dominate
Volume 50, No. 10, June 14, 2007 |
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CHAMPIONS: Navy’s man of the match against Air Force, LS Jonathan Briggs, runs in for a try under the posts.
Photo: ABPH Dave McMahon |
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Navy had an unprecedented 13 players selected for the Combined Australian Services Rugby League (CASRL) team recently after beating Army and Air Force in two tough matches to win its first Inter-Service championship title since 2004.
The team went on to contest the in the Affiliated States Carnival (virtually the second tier of Australian rugby league) the following week in WA.
In the opening game at Coogee Oval Navy beat Army 28 to 24 in a tough and very physical encounter, living up to the tag Navy Titans, as they are now known.
After a nervous first 10 minutes underlined by some solid, big-hitting defence, Navy was rewarded in the 15th minute when hooker LSPT Darren Trudgett (HMAS Darwin) scored near the posts after an inspiring run through the Army line. ABCIS Luke Woodcroft (HMAS Kanimbla) converted for a 6-0 lead.
Army settled after a lull in proceedings and took advantage with a backline move for a soft try out wide, converted to level at 6-all. At 30 minutes Army was in again, and converted for a 12-6 lead.
Undeterred, Navy’s winger ABBM Stuart Jones (HMAS Stuart) swooped on a loose ball and threaded his way through some feeble Army defence to score under the posts. ABCIS Woodcroft converted making it 12 all.
Seven minutes into the second half, Navy paid for a sluggish opening when Army weaved through the defence to touch down under the posts.
The conversion in the 45th minute, giving Army an 18-12 lead, reawakened Navy to put prop LS Jonathan Briggs (HMAS Creswell) through a gap under the posts. ABCIS Woodcroft converted to lock it up at 18 all.
LSPT Trudgett made a great break in the 48th minute only to see the ball go to ground but seven minutes later centre MIDN Andrew Schmidt (HMAS Creswell) scored close to the sideline after breaking through the Army backline from a scrum. The conversion was missed but Navy led 22-18.
In the 61st minute ABCIS Woodcroft again broke the line and offloaded to halfback Aaron Logue who scored. ABCIS Woodcroft’s conversion made it 26-18.
A desperate Army kicked behind the Navy line in the 64th minute, when Navy had no fullback or winger home. Army won the race to the ball, scored and converted, to trail 28-24. With five minutes to go Navy successfully held Army back to hold on for the win.
ABCD Arnel was Man of the Match after an extraordinary performance up front.
Navy, backing up after its hard game against Army two days previously, conceded an early try to Air force to trail 4-0 in game two.
Soon after AB Struber broke through the line in the 17th minute, kicked over the top and recovered. ABCIS Woodcroft scored and converted for a 6-4 lead. Five minutes later the Air Force halfback carved through the Navy line, and off the next play Air Force scored out wide for an 8-6 lead.
LSMT Jonathan Briggs (HMAS Creswell) was put through a gap off a short ball and scored under the posts. ABCIS Woodcroft’s conversion put Navy in front again 12-8 at half-time.
Navy was caught napping again in a re-start after an injury and Air Force scored out wide again to level at 12-all.
LSMT Briggs scored under the posts again after 20 minutes, slotting into a huge gap and busting some weak tackling. Battling injuries, ABCIS Woodcroft’s conversion and a penalty soon put Navy ahead 20-12.
Rampaging LSMT Briggs, later named man of the match, scored his third try soon after, converted by ABCIS Woodcroft to give Navy a 26-12 lead. Air Force later scored a converted try to trail 26-18.
The Navy victory was a triumph for coach Dave Kemp who turned around a Navy side which had recently been beaten by 40 points by the Royal Navy. This outstanding result anticipates a new era in Navy rugby league. |
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