Royal Australian Navy Rugby League (RANRL) | Navy Titans

NAVY RUGBY LEAGUE TRI-NATIONS

NEW ZEALAND TOUR

Navy Rugby League recently toured New Zealand; the first overseas tour in six years signifying an upsurge in Navy Rugby League after a long development process. The RAN competed in the inaugural Tri-Nations Navy tournament against New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The first match was always going to be hard against the RNZN in New Zealand but the first RAN training session, amazingly held without a single mistake, boded well. The importance of the occasion was shown by the NZ Rugby League providing the actual 'World Cup' for the two sides to line up alongside during the national anthems. The RNZN then performed the recently developed Navy Haka with signature 'waka' moves to raise their 'mana' showing the Aussie boys that they were in for a real game.

The RAN came out slow and the RNZN put on some early tries, which they continued throughout the first half to go to the break 24 nil. The RAN side was unable early to counter the slick backline of the RNZN manoeuvring on the back of big forwards making inroads up the middle.

The second half was a different story however with the RAN coming out in a different frame of mind to put on two tries against the RNZN having received a massive rev-up by coach Dave Kemp. The RAN showed they could actually match it with the RNZN with strong defence and attack with the second half score line ending at 14-12 RNZN. The final scoreline was 38-12 RNZN and there was much to be done before the match against the Royal Navy who had put 70 points on the RAN in the last encounter 5 years ago at Brookvale Oval.

While the RN typically had the better songsters during the anthems the RAN came out in a different frame of mind to the RNZN game. Massive and passionate hits were the order of the day against the old foe coupled with consummate ball movement enabling the RAN to put on two impressive tries to take the score to 12 nil through Matt Docker and Bobby Ashman. The RN put on a late first half try through an intercept and a 75m run against the run of play to go to half time 12-4 RAN. The second half was also going the RAN?s way through a try by Hastings-Ison out wide through a clever kick through but the RN soon found some inspiration scoring two tries from kicks over the top, again against the run of play, to take the score to 16-12 RAN.

The next twenty minutes was a nail-biting duel which could have gone either way with both sides desperately trying for that extra six points. Right on full time the RAN had resumed its first half confidence while attacking the RN line running a very polished backline move drawing each player as it went through the hands with the final pass from Matt Docker putting an unmarked Edward Smith in the corner to take out the match 20-12 RAN.

In the final match between the RN and RNZN the RNZN was victorious to take out the tournament with the RAN coming in runner up. This was a successful tour for Navy Rugby League boding well for the future.

There were some great displays of football from all the players with some of the standouts being Matt Docker who dominated and shut down his opposite number on the RN side with great defence; Dan Struber was excellent at 5/8^th manoeuvring the team around the park; all of the forwards displayed outstanding grit and determination taking some huge punishment and dishing it out in return and there was none better than Simon Hoare's display up front despite his diminutive size taking out the tournament Player's Player; accompanying him was Dan Capilli's excellent football in both games up front and out in the centres taking out the tournament's Best Player.

The RAN Rugby League now moves back into the local Cronulla competition vying for a finals berth in August in preparation for the East Australian Area Sports Challenge in September followed by the National Inter-service Tournament in the last week in September in Townsville.

Navy needs to avenge its losses to Army and RAAF last year due to a lack of available players and is calling for all available A Grade or higher Grade players and support and management staff across the country to nominate for the National side, which will enter a training camp in the second last week of September.

Interested players should contact RANRL President, CMDR Glenn Ker, at glenn.ker@defence.gov.au as soon as possible for inclusion on the tournament signal.