Air Force and Navy players contest a lineout during the clash at ADFA on 23 April. Navy won 38-13, but not before an impressive Air Force side gave them a scare. Photo by CPL Mark Eaton.

Their record might read two losses from two games, but the coach of the Air Force rugby union side, Sergeant Chris Filmer, was encouraged by his side's performance in the recent Australian Services Rugby Union Carnival, held in Canberra.

Air Force lost their games against the Army and Navy by 45 points to 3 and 38-13 respectively, but SGT Filmer said his side was far from disgraced.

'Considering how little time the players had together and the lack of continuity, I thought we did well,' SGT Filmer enthused.

'We had players coming in on the night before, and on the day of our first game [against Army on 20 April], to train with the squad for the first time,' he explained.

'When you consider Army had just completed a two-week tour of South Africa together, it makes it hard.'

SGT Filmer was particularly pleased with Air Force's performance in the side's second match of the carnival, held against Navy at ADFA on 23 April.

The score line of 38-13 may appear to be a whipping, but when one considers Air Force trailed by just two points at half-time and had two key players sent from the field in the second, the result is something the team should be encouraged by, according to coach Filmer.

A highlight of the match was a great try in the opening minutes to Leading Aircraftman Brenden Christensen from a well-worked set piece.

'That opening 20 minutes was probably the best rugby I've seen the team play,' SGT Filmer admitted.

'I've spoken to a few Army and Navy guys since who said it was lucky we didn't play any trial games because if we did, it could have been a different story.'

In an encouraging sign, Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Angus Houston, met the Air Force players after the game, greeting them and promising to look at improving the profile of Air Force rugby, SGT Filmer said.

'The players were very appreciative of that.'

Overall, the Australian Services Rugby Union Carnival was a great success, with Army retaining the Wing Commander Caldwell Shield after holding off a determined Navy side in the men's final at Canberra Stadium.

Army scraped home to win 21-19 in the decider, which was played as a curtain raiser to the Super 12 clash between the ACT Brumbies and Otago Highlanders on 26 April.

And for a contest fought out on the day after Anzac Day, the final was an appropriately tough encounter, with neither side prepared to concede ground in 80 minutes of uncompromising rugby.

Army, the favourites, fought back in the second half after trailing Navy 19-14 at half time.

It could have been a far different result, however, with Navy squandering a couple of golden opportunities to upset the defending champions.

Army coach, Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Booth, was happy to get away with the win and paid tribute to Navy's effort.

'Credit to their big boys, we thought they would drop off a lot earlier and we'd run amok in the middle,' he said.

'Their tactic was obviously to run at our small backs, but at the end of the day they didn't have the fitness.'

In what was a team effort, WO2 Booth was particularly pleased with the form of Player of the Grand Final, LCPL Paul Yates, and try-scoring hero, LT Trevor Hogan.

AIRMSHL Houston was at Canberra Stadium to watch the final and presented the WGCDR John Caldwell Shield to Army's skipper, CAPT Ben Rayward.

By Ben Caddaye