Navy Coach Goes Big Game Hunting

Billy May, right, with Navy Rugby’s DoR Andy Kellett at this year’s Newquay Surf Sevens

Former Navy Sharks and Senior XV coach, Billy May, has been invited to be part of Samurai’s coaching team at this month’s Kenya Safari Sevens.  With the UK rugby season in full flow Samurai have looked to the Southern Hemisphere to bolster their team for the event and Billy is likely to have a number of the successful New Zealand Sevens team in the squad along with a couple of All Black squad members (Championship results dependent). He will be coaching alongside kiwi Ed Cocker who has been a member of the New Zealand Sevens team since 2005.  Should be a great experience.  The tournament also involves Kenya and Scotland from the IRB’s World Series Sevens and is expected to draw up to 20,000 fans.

Details of the Safaricom Sevens can be found by clicking here.

Nearer Than Kenya

R4H v Sappers

If Kenya is to far to go to watch rugby then how about Henley.  The Sappers XV are taking on an invitational all star team from the Rugby4Heroes Charity on 30th September 2012.  The Sappers have been the strongest side for quite some time in the Army and are now being coached by Army record cap holder Ben Hughes – future Army Head Coach maybe?

The sappers rugby website is here.

The Rugby4Heroes website is here.

Mark Lee ‘Bows Out’ with Win

As previously mentioned former Army skipper Mark Lee has now retired from the Service to take up farming in Cumbria.  His last match was captaining British Army Germany against another Rugby4Heroes select XV.  Mark said goodbye to his military career with a 20-10 victory.

French Navy – Rebuilding

RCMN will look to retain the Babcock Trophy when they visit Portsmouth in APril

Our friends from across the channel start their preparations for the annual Babcock International Challenge on Saturday when RCMN play Auch’s A team.  Apparently there are many changes in the french squad but no doubt they will have been honed into a cohesive team by the time they travel to Portsmouth and seek a first Royal Navy scalp away from home.  Apart from the 2008 Royal Navy win in Paris the match has always been won by the home team in the 8 match series.  The ninth match in the challenge is to be held at Burnaby Road, Portsmouth on Wednesday 3rd April.  The mens match kicks off at 19:00 with the women scheduled to play earlier in the afternoon.

RN(W) will sek to close the gap on RCMN(W)

Kye Beasley

Navy Prop, Kye Beasley, helped Camborne to a winning start against Oldfield RFC in South West 1.  According to the Camborne RFC website half of the Navy pack seem to be on their books including John Court, Ben Priddey and John Lamsin.  The sole back representative is Aaron Hunt who like Kye won his first Navy cap last season.

Kye Beasley (far side) packs down with Kyle Mason when winning his first cap against the French Navy in Toulon earlier this year.

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