Samurai and Billy May Prepare for Kenyan Safari

Billy May (left) with Navy Sharks Coach Sam Cuff (right) and Mr Fixit Scot Ashley (centre)

As previously posted former Navy Coach, Billy May, was selected to be part of  Samurai’s coaching team in this weekend’s Safaricom 7’s.  Samurai will be looking to go one better than last year when they lost to Samoa in the final.  Already the Kenyan National Selectors have announced that they are using the tournament for their national side’s preparation whilst South Africa (winners in 2006 & 2007) have again entered a strong team from their Elite Player Development Squad.

The Samurai team will be captained by New Zealand Sevens specialist and their star playmaker Lote Raikabula.  An ever present in the New Zealand Seven team since 2006 the 29 year old Lote won gold medals at both the Melbourne and Delhi Commonwealth Games.  Lote (Wellington Lions) is joined by a whole host of current, former and perhaps future New Zealand Seven’s Internationals including Mark Jackman (Canterbury) in a very strong Samurai squad.  The full squad is as follows:

Samuel Dickinson (2012 New Zealand Sevens Squad of 20 member & Cantebury), Martin Atkins (2012 New Zealand Sevens Squad of 20 member & Otago), Gareth William Spiers (2012New Zealand Sevens Squad of 20 member & Auckland), Warwick Lahmert (2012 New Zealand Sevens Squad of 20 member & Taranaki), Joe Hill (2012 New Zealand Sevens Squad of 20 member & Wellington), Belgium Tuatagaloa (2012 New Zealand Sevens Squad of 20 member & Wellington), Jack Wilson, Chad Tuoro, Michael Davis and Rhys Llewellyn.

In case your wondering last season Jack Wilson was touted as the next star of New Zealand Sevens when he was called up for the Twickenham and Murrayfield legs of the World Series whilst Chad and Rhys have both won international honours in the New Zealand Sevens shirt.  I believe the Michael Davis in the squad is the up and coming talent from Taniwha but may be the Royal Air Forces own star sevens player by the same name.  Perhaps Billy will provide the answer on his return.

No doubt eager to listen to Billy’s tales will be Navy Sharks current coach Sam Cuff and their team manager Scott Ashley as hopefully some good ideas from what he a hugely talented squad will filter their way in to Navy Rugby.

Scott Ashley

Congratulations go to Scott on his Value the Volunteer Award at the recent Navy Rugby AGM.  Well deserved as would be testified by any who have held a team management role with a Navy Rugby representative side.  The full report of the AGM can be found by clicking here.

Commonwealth Navies Rugby Cup

In a months time we will know where Navy Rugby has retained its title or if New Zealand can build on their victory over the RN in South Africa (2006) or if the RAN Breakers can sign off their Centenary Season in style as well as give coach Doc Docherty the perfect send off.

Shelford-Stokes Shield

The Shelford-Stokes shield match between the RAN and RNZN kicks off the tournament at 14:30 (local) 3 October with the RN entering the competition on 7 October with their match against RNZN before the competition concludes wit hthe RAN v RN match 11 October.  Two days later there will be a CNRC 7s comeptition and the (now) traditional match featuring a Commonwealth Navies Barbarians side.  This tournament they will be playing Sydney University.  Hopefully the Navy Rugby players will be able to find out why a match against Sydney University is fitting in the context of the RANRU Centenary Season as their match against HMS Rosario in 1868 is one of the earliest recorded matches of rugby in Australian Rugby history and (in part) led to formation of the various Service Rugby Unions.

The latest Royal Australian Navy Rugby Newsletter cane be found by clicking here.

New Army Rugby Head Coach

12 September.  The Army Rugby Union have promoted U23 Head Coach Axel Rees to be the new Head Coach of  their Senior XV.  Axel is well respected amongst a wide range of Service rugby followers and will no doubt prove to be as much of a challenge to Navy Rugby as his predecessors.  Axel will be again supported by Sean Fanning (Defence Coach), Chris Brown (Attack Coach) and Burnie Burnard (Skills Coach).  April’s Inter Services and Army Navy match is not far away.

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