Sports
Lack of experience to blame for final game
By CPL Andrew Hetherington

Edition 4906, April 19, 2007
 
PEP TALK: RAAF STT Coach Ray White talks to his players during the Kapooka 10s game.
Photo by CPL Andrew Hetherington
 
 
AIR Force was running hot after an Air Force School of Technical Training (RAAF STT) rugby team from RAAF Base Wagga reached the semi-finals of the Kapooka 10s rugby plate at their first attempt. They lost to the ultimate winner, Navy’s training establishment HMAS Cerberus, in the semi-final.

The nine-team, three-tier competition was played in hot conditions on March 10 at Kapooka Army base at Wagga Wagga, NSW.

The Air Force team comprised Air Force, Navy and Army students from the technical training school.

Coach Ray White said his team performed well in the semi-finals of the competition.

“We made the plate semi-final but lost to HMAS Cerberus, the eventual competition winners,” he said.

“They had a very impressive team, but our side held its own initially.

“We did quite well but then our age and lack of experience started to show.”

To get to the semis, RAAF STT played two other matches, both against Army teams. “In our first match, we went down to 6RAR 12-5 but then we won our next match against 9FSB 15-5,” he said. “We had a lot of nerves at the beginning of the competition. The demographics of the team itself were a challenge. The average age of the team was about 19 years old.”

Mr White said although the team lost in the semi-finals, he was impressed with its efforts.

“[They were] very impressive, they steadily improved throughout the competition, which is what you like to see, and they walked away with a bit of pride,” he said.

The team is looking to enter next year’s Kapooka 10s and possibly in a local competition as well.

“We would like to enter again next year but it depends on the students and if they want to,” he said.

“We are also looking to enter a third-grade team in a local Wagga competition. It is early days yet but is looking very promising.”

Stand-out players for RAAF STT were AC Troy Thoms, SMN Greg Lord and CFN Alefosio Kakala.