By Rachel Irving
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CPL
John Williams tries to keep a handle on the ball in the
WA interservice touch game against Navy.
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Photo
by Rachel Irving
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THE
triumph of five years ago could not be repeated by Air Force when
Navy took out the WA interservice touch title.
In a round robin competition, the three Services descended on
RAAF Base Pearce earlier this month to play for the title, last
played and won by Air Force in 1999.
While Air Force had the numbers and certainly the determination
to win, it was Navy in the first game who made the early grab
at the shield with a 7-6 victory.
Air Force let Navy go into the half-time break with a narrow one-point
lead and a fiery pep talk from Flight Sergeant Clark Hancock had
the hosts keen to reverse the score in the second-half.
But an early try to Navy saw them go two points up within a minute
of the half beginning.
The game stayed tight with one player sin-binned for excessive
force in the touch. Good intercepts from both sides meant the
game could go either way, though Air Force paid the price for
several costly turnovers which left Navy a point ahead at the
final whistle.
Air Force’s try scorers were Corporal Adam Kuiper with three,
Warrant Officer Wayne Jones with two and FSGT Hancock with one.
Air Force bounced back to take an easy 6-2 win over their next
opponent, Army, who played with a team assembled in just 24 hours.
The first ten minutes saw just one try scored, to Air Force’s
CPL Kuiper who ran in a textbook try. Sloppy passing from both
sides saw lost opportunities but strong work in the centre from
Corporal John Williams and FSGT Hancock, who both scored tries,
saw Air Force refocus and go into the half-time break with a two-point
lead, 3-1.
A try to WOFF Jones in the opening moments of the second half
widened the lead for Air Force to 4-1.
A great touch from super-fast Private David Ross denied Leading
Aircraftman Luke Kirk a certain try, but despite good centre work
from Army, it was not enough to stop FSGT Hancock from going over
the line for Air Force’s fifth. Air Force proved unstoppable
with nine substitutes, winning 6-2.
Navy took on Army in the final game, which Navy won 10-8.
