RAF VULTURES VS ROYAL NAVY ANCIENT MARINERS

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The Vultures played the second game in defence of their Veterans IS title and were sadly beaten by a well-drilled Navy side. The conditions at Newbury were almost perfect and both teams took the park to show how Veterans rugby should be played. The Mariners kicked off and almost from the kick the Vultures almost conceded a try, the RN put on some intense pressure and it was only the first up tackles from Booth (Brize Norton), Hill (Honington) and Farrington9HQ Air Cmd) stopped a number of scores. The Vultures started to play some rugby and although missing a number of first up tackles scored against the run of play when Aven (Brize Norton) crossed for a try in the corner. This seemed to spur the Mariners into a renewed phase of attacks, which was rewarded in the 15 minute by a converted try. This was quickly followed with another when the Vultures again failed to clear out at the ruck situation. The first half closed with a successful penalty kick from each team leaving the match well balanced at 8-15.

The Mariners started the second half at the same tempo as they finished the first half scoring two tries in quick succession. The Vultures appeared to have lost their way and had no answer to the Navy game plan and they conceded two more tries without reply. Despite some intense Vultures pressure and supreme efforts from the three quarters they could not find a way through the Mariners defence until mid way through the half when Fisher forced his way over for and unconverted try. This was to be the Vultures last score as they rued a number of missed penalty kicks. The RN closed the scoring with a penalty to make the final score 13 –41 to the Mariners. A bunch of very disconsolate Vultures left the field, a side which had not only been beaten by a better team on the day, but also by lack of game time due to cancelled games in the late part of the season. The Vultures wish the Mariners all the best in the final game of the Veterans IS Championships when they take on the Army pensioners at Kneller Hall on 2 May.