2019 Interservices Rugby Tournament

KIa ora team.  2 write ups on Navy, Army and Air Matches to date.

King George V Cup match (Interservices Rugby) (100th Anniversary)

Navy versus Army

Venue: Linton Army Camp, Manawatu.

The day was a glorious day with a dry ground and a stiff breeze blowing across the ground. A great venue for a good match.

The last match I attended Navy versus Army, Army steamrolled us by 76-0 and the way Army started it boded a repeat. The first 30 minutes was point a minute rugby (29-0) with Army utterly dominant (fair to say Navy was on the wrong end of some dubious decisions). And then things changed. From 10 minutes to half time Navy's pack took charge, leading to a great try out wide. And that continued into the second half.

Possession and position wins games and Navy was utterly dominant from minute 30 until the last 5 minutes when an unlucky chip kick on a promising attack was plucked out of the air leading to an Army try. I mentioned position. For 50 minutes Army never had the ball.

I don't know their names but they all stood tall. Some standouts Props, (both starters and replacements) had it all over Army scrum and the loosies were very busy. Gutsy players. Gutsy Game.

I met Barry Waerea and Dave Pilgrim so there was some vocal Navy supporters.

Full time Army 34-Navy 5. They won everyones heart.

I'm now very keen to catch the game on Wednesday, versus Air. If you are in the Manawatu and want to come along it starts at 1430, Linton Army Camp.

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King George V Cup match (Interservices Rugby)

Navy versus Air

Venue: Linton Army Camp, Manawatu.

Another glorious day with a dry ground again and a stiffer breeze blowing across the ground than yesterday..

This match held good promise. They (Navy) won 55 minutes versus Army and in the first 8 minutes Air had position and possession and was rewarded a 3^rd minute penalty and an intercept try on 8 minutes. And that was basically it. Navy, with the wind, replicated their domination over Army and had all the ball, rewarded with a penalty and try in the first half.

Halftime Navy 10 v Air 10.

I was talking with Barry Waerea at half time and we were debating how our boys would go into the wind. Nothing to fear, their first half dominance was continued. Both teams played running rugby

(very little kicking), second phase predominantly secured by Navy. Air's pack was faltering. The only area were both teams suffered was lineouts, the wind was interfering.

Navy were heroic.Dominant right across the park and Air faltered. With 20 odd minutes gone in the second half both teams were level on the soreboard 17-17

In the move of the game, Navy passed the ball though many sets of hands from inside their own half down the left wing ending in the best try of the tournament. The boys provided stoic defense in the last 5 minutes to hang on and win 22-17.

I don't get to see many Navy games but I am pleasantly happy to see the last one I saw (at Massey 2016) has been redressed with a great team ethic (as usual) Go Navy and Kia kaha whanau.

We had special guests. Rear Admiral Dave Proctor and Captain Fogerty. Very vocal supporters.

Army v Air

Hard fought game Air threw everything at Army but at the end of the game Army came away with the win winning by 18 nil so final placings

2019 NZDF Inter Services Rugby

Men

1st. Army
2nd Navy
3rd Air Force

Women

1st Army
2nd Air Force
3rd Navy

Comments on the March Past.

King George Cup – Navy wrap.

Total time in possession (Both games)- out of 160 minutes of rugby Navy held possession for 118 minutes.

Navy scored 4 tries (in style) The last try versus Air was the try of the tournament (bearing in mind I never saw the Army/Air game)

Plenty of players worth a note but Navy played as a consummate team. However the Pack were never bettered in the tight or the loose in either game. The loosies never gave up in both games and the backs used the ball well.

I had been having a korero with Barry Waerea and he mention the Navy team had basically been together for 2 &1/2 months and it showed. And that quite a few of the team were Colts. If Army hadn't steamrolled us in in the first 30 minutes of Rugby the results might have been vastly different.

Zaps