By
Andrew Stackpool
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Air
Force rugby players bring an Army player to the ground during
the Australian Services Rugby Championships.
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Photo
by Bill Cunneen
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THREE
Air Force players have been selected for the Australian Service
Rugby Union (ASRU) team after their outstanding performances in
the recent Australian Services Rugby Championships.
Air Force scrum-half Leading Aircraftman Shane Royle, front row
stalwart Sergeant Jason Ryan and loose forward Corporal Ron Marchant
gave outstanding performances in both games to win a place in
the 30-man squad.
Wing Commander Graham King was also selected as the ASRU head
coach. He has coached Air Force and ASRU teams for the past 10
years.
Air Force rugby’s hopes for victory in the Australian Services
Rugby Championships received a setback in the first game on May
15, won by Navy 52-6.
The championships were held from May 15-21 at Coogee Oval in Sydney
and comprised men and women’s competitions.
Air Force dominated possession of the ball for the first 20 minutes,
but was unable to cross the Navy line. An Air Force mistake at
the 15th minute let Navy through for the first try, which boosted
Navy morale. It pressed its advantage with some brilliant attacks
out wide and down the blind side, and its score steadily mounted.
Despite the scores, Air Force were by no means out of the game,
and demonstrated some moments of brilliance, with good turns of
speed and hard tackling. This was not enough to put the numbers
up and it was only two penalties by Leading Aircraftman Tony Jeans
that prevented a no-score result for them.
“Navy were impressive,” Squadron Leader Tim Anderson,
the team’s operations manager, said. “They were simply
too strong for us and ran out the deserved winners.
“We both had scores to settle against Army and Air Force
were determined to redress the long-standing run of losses to
them.”
The boys in red were to prove as determined to retain the status
quo. Their subsequent 23-22 loss to Navy did not lessen that determination.
Air Force and Army faced off on May 21 and Army left the paddock
the undisputed victors 65-0.
Despite the unflattering scoreline, the Air Force team delivered
on a promise to themselves to play at 110 percent for the full
80 minutes.
Air Force were forced to defend very hard around the fringes of
the ruck and through the inside/outside centre channels, and were
unable to stop a constant leakage of play through these areas.
After two early tries to Army, Air Force settled into a more stable
pattern and began to regain control over the lineout and tackle
contests. But they were never in the game, as Army continued to
place enormous pressure on the Air Force set piece play while
continually converting their own into points.
SQNLDR Anderson said while the Air Force players were very impressive
in their determination throughout the game, Army deserved the
win.
“We are obviously disappointed with the overall results,”
he said.
“[But] the determination, aggression and fire with which
the team played is very pleasing, as is their ability to play
at high intensity for the full 80 minutes.”
