Super seven

Red revolution: With six straight wins in the bag, Army coach Andy Price will be hoping his blend of new caps and experienced players including (from left) LCpl Jason Kemble, LCpl Chris Budgen and LCpl Melvyn Lewis will stretch the Red’s unbeaten run to seven games

Report: Stephen Tyler
Pictures: Graeme Main

ALL thoughts of rewriting the rugby record books will be left in the Twickenham dressing room when the Army take on the Royal Navy this month, according to Welsh Guardsman WO2 Andy Price, the head coach.

The Reds go into the annual showdown with the chance to stretch the longest winning sequence in Inter-Services history to seven matches following their exhilarating 39-25 victory last year.

But while he admits that setting a new record will be the icing on the cake, Price insists that his squad will be focused solely on beating the Navy on the day.

“Records are things for journalists and commentators and history is something that you read about in books,” the Welshman told SoldierSport from a training camp in South Africa.

“Winning the match in front of us is all that is on our minds before a game and if we break a record in doing that then it’s just an added bonus.”

Last year’s Inter-Services campaign produced two inspired performances from the Army against the Navy and the Royal Air Force and the Reds were in South Africa to get themselves into top shape for the 2008 tournament.

Price’s charges were put through their paces in training sessions three times a week and also secured an outstanding victory against the Rainbow Nation’s Rugby Performance Centre in 30C temperatures in the Western Cape.

The opposition featured professional players brought together by former Saracens legend Alan Zondagh and Price said the match – won 44-33 – was excellent preparation for his men.

“The game was played right in the middle of nowhere against young professional players in really hot conditions,” he said. “It was a good test for us and it helped the players to work on their conditioning.

“We decided that we would trim our squad down while we were over here and concentrate our efforts on the right people and it has been very worthwhile from everyone’s point of view.”

With a dependable backbone of experienced faces including prop LCpl Chris Budgen (2 R Welsh), second row Cpl Ben Hughes (RE) and fullback SSgt Mal Roberts (RLC), Price has promoted 11 new faces to his senior squad for the Inter-Services tournament.

Lightning-quick loggie Pte Max Vave (RLC) adds more pace to a back line already overflowing with attacking talent, including the centre pairing of Leeds Carnegie’s Pte Apolosi Satala (1 Scots) and Spr Peceli Nacamavuto (RE).

Ever-reliable Gdsm Rob Sweeney (WG) faces fresh competition at fly half from Capt Mark Honeybun (AFC Harrogate) and Cpl Ceri Cummings (REME), while 2nd Lt Ian Martin (3 Yorks) provides back-up for first-choice scrum half Sgt Gareth Slade-Jones.

All of the new talent has risen through the ranks of the Army Rugby Union’s academy system and the wealth of options throughout the squad has left Price facing a pleasant problem.

“We have a good record of bringing players through and against the RAF there will be seven new caps. That is testament to the strength of our academy and development system and the staff and coaches working in it,” he said.

“We keep producing players in abundance and that is putting me in the privileged position of having a major headache when it comes to picking my team.”

Whichever 15 players take to the field on May 3, the Twickenham crowd is sure to see a feast of attacking rugby thanks to Price’s positive philosophy.

Since attracting criticism following a dour 9-6 win over the Navy in 2006, the Reds have developed an expansive style that places a greater emphasis on scoring than not conceding.

And although the Army’s attacking flair inevitably places greater pressure on the team’s defensive line, Price insists that his side will always take the game to their opponents. “Our style has been and will continue to be all-out attack because that’s where our strength lies,” he continued. “You could say it’s also our weakness because when you play at a high tempo then there is always the risk that you are going to make mistakes that the opposition can capitalise on.

“That is a risk we are willing to take. We will not change how we play.”

Part of the reason why last year’s Babcock Trophy match will live long in the memory was the equally dramatic improvement in the Navy’s play.

The blue half of Twickenham will be hoping the trend continues into this year’s eagerly anticipated encounter and the experience of LAEM Dave Pascoe and trickery of Combined Services star AB Josh Drauninui are sure to keep the Army XV on their toes all afternoon.

But even with a clutch of new caps turning out for the Blues, Price said that he has done his homework on the opposition and knows exactly what to expect from them.

“I have watched the Royal Navy three times this year, including against the Irish Defence Force when they put out their strongest team,” he said. “For us they are very much a known quantity because we have studied them.

“We know what they want to achieve at Twickenham and they won’t spring any surprises on us.”