There is one time and place at Twickenham when no captain wishes to be first – up the steps at the end of the match to receive sympathy and medals from the RFU President. After again producing an eighty minute battling performance that fate once more fell to Navy captain Dave Pascoe. I am sure he was reflecting on what was and what needs to be.
65302 spectators filled Twickenham stadium with another record Army Navy crowd but long before this game finished it was over. Sport can be a very exposed place at times like this and any hurt felt by spectators does not compare to that felt by the players.
My title is taken from Rudyard Kipling’s most famous of poems ‘If”. For the players I would suggest the penultimate line of the second verse best sums up Saturday but the poem also gives direction to the way forward. The young promise that has proved exciting to those of us who follow your exploits throughout the season could do a lot worse than take heed of Kipling’s wise words – if in rugby terms they wish to progress from boys to men.
Big Boots to Fill
Josh, along with the Army’s Mark Lee, were gracing Twickenham for the last time. Both have graced the hallow turf with dignity and humility. For Navy supporters there has not been a player in recent times who has produced the anticipation quite like Josh. Who will forget his exploits of 2007 when his two tries, one from his own 22m, nearly turned the match.
Andy Kellett, the man with the problem and the answer will have been pleased to see the progress made by his back three youngsters. Jon has been a regular all season, Seti looking better game by game, Ben who played for CS U23 has the agility and Aaron has the power.
Jack Foster
Being an uncapped replacement when the skipper plays in your position can not be easy. Jack sat through 80 minutes in Toulon and a further 80 minutes at US Portsmouth without the opportunity to get on the pitch and win his first cap.
On Saturday his opportunity came and he became the 700th member of Navy Rugby’s silver tie club and the 713 member of the Royal Navy Rugby Union to have been awarded a cap. The first of many for this player who this season stood out in the two U23 matches and also made his mark in the Inter Command tournament. With Jonny Stephen also set to return and Dave Pascoe still in the best form of his long and distinguished career it looks as if 2013 is set to be a battle royal for the scrum half spot.
Words of Wisdom?
In the week when he announced his immediate retirement from rugby the now former England VIIs captain and Navy Rugby vice captain, Greg Barden, was spotted in the Sky commentary box alongside Simon Ward.
It must have been a day of mixed emotions for Greg. Naturally the scoreline would have hurt his Navy (Royal Marine) core but also seeing friend and colleague DamuDamu stretchered off must have been harder for him than most in the Stadium. The two Servicemen had been team mates for England VIIs and it must remain doubtful whether Isoa will return to the HSBC IRB VII Series where he repeatedly showed himself to be truly world class.
However Greg will have admired the prodigious talent Sam Laird and his work at the breakdown and will no doubt have seen enough of the Bamford and Sleeman centre partnership to have some hope for the future especially as Jon Humphrey’s develops and becomes more comfortable challenging the line from fullback.
Physio Farewell
Navy Rugby bade farewell to their head physio of the last nine years. Pippa has given great service to the Sharks, U21s, U23s and the Senior XV. It looks in this photo as if she wishes to take Navy Coach Owen Salmon with her! Owen – you have unfinished business.
The match
Award Winners
A full pictorial tribute to all the award holders will be posted later in the month.
And Finally……..
Official reports from RNRU can be found here for Mariners and Women and here for Seniors. Note Mariner’s point scorer was Manoa Satala and not Paul Clarke as (currently) reported.
Already looking for to 2013.
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