Combined Services XXXV’s v John Bentley Legends

Saturday 6th June 2009 - Leeds

After many years of failed attempts the inaugural Combined Services XXXV Rugby Union Team took to the field in aid of the Help for Heroes Charity. No less than seven of the current RAF Vultures squad were included in the select 22: F/Sgt Lee “Bully” Bramhall RAF Odhiam, Sgt Paul Fisher RAF Cosford, Cpl Lee Oakey RAF Benson, Sgt Andrew Yeates RAF Leeming, Sgt Paul “Copper” Keen RAF Lossiemouth, Sgt Paul Dix RAF Cranwell & Sgt Craig Farrington HQ Air Command, also amongst this selection of RAF talent was player coach Sgt Simon Hill of RAF Honnington.

Players: Officials:

1 WO2 Trevor Howard Army WO1 Hywel Thomas Army (Manager)

2 SSgt Alan Reffell Army WO1 Mitch Mitchell Army (Head Coach)

3 Maj Ewwn Cameron Army SSgt Tiny Baker Army (Asst Coach)

4 Cpl Lee Oakey RAF Sgt Simon Hill RAF (Asst Coach)

5 Cpl Dominic O’Connor Navy Maj (Retd) Russ Booth MoD (Sport Injury)

6 WO2 Neil Griffiths Army Sgt Justin Scholes MBE RAF (Physio)

7 Capt Leigh Woodhouse Army

8 WO2 Chris Richards Navy (Skipper)

9 Sgt Paul Keen RAF

10 Lt Paul Clark Navy

11 Sgt Craig Farrington RAF

12 Lt Col Matt Crisp Army

13 Sgt Paul Dix RAF

14 CPO Rick Astley Navy

15 SSgt Calvin Venn Army

16 FSgt Lee Bramhall RAF

17 Sgt Paul Fisher RAF

18 Sgt Andrew Yeates RAF

19 WO2 Kevin Davies Army

20 SSgt Errol Jones Army

21 LCpl Tomasi Turagabeci Army

22 WO1 Dave Boocock Army

It was an overcast Thursday afternoon in summer, the Combined Service Veterans rugby team met up at Deverill Barracks. Over the next two days the squad members are put through their paces in order for the coaches to come to agreement over the starting 15, Deverill barracks much to the delight of the RAF players is a little on the Austere side, but proudly the RAF players toughed it out for one night before retreating to more familiar surroundings in the Hilton hotel.

Saturday morning the remainder of the CS squad make the journey to Leeds to book into various hotels across the city in preparation for this inaugural match, however, with the RAF players already residing at the Hilton, the RAF Players spent the morning procrastinating over the match to come whilst sitting by the indoor pool and coffee bars, especially fetching was Paul “Cooper” Keen and Andy “Pretty Boy” Yeates walking around the Hilton hotel in their towelling robes and slippers.

Saturday afternoon arrived quicker than most expected and the team arrived at Moortown RFC, Photographs and the warm up followed and at 1400hrs the referee blew his whistle to let the battle commence, the quality of the “legends soon became apparent and the CS XXXV were pinned down in their 22, surviving onslaught after onslaught with some strong tackling from Paul Dix and cover defending from Calvin Venn, however, this just seems to delay the inevitable as after a line out the Legends receive a penalty and quick work sees the fly half go over after 5 minutes for a score of 0-5. The XXXV’s first foray into Legends territory results in centre MattCrisp being carried off and replaced by TomTomTuragabeci and the Legends inter-passing leads them back into the XXXV’s 22, where from a scrum the number 10 goes over again – this time converted - so after 12 minutes the score is 0-12.

With superb lines of running (and a missed foot in touch) the Legends break 22 – 22 and the fly half gets his hat-trick so after 17 minutes play the score moves to 0-19. Soon a few more substitutions were made which saw Paul “Fish” Fisher and Lee “Bully” Bramhall come on to steady the scrum and line out as well as offer their no nonsense open play, From a well worked line out the CS backs break into the oppositions 22 with good work from RickAstley, this is backed up with solid forward play from Lee “the Salmon” Oakey and Andy “pretty boy” Yeates and great service from Paul “Copper” Keen, unfortunately the “Legends” manage to stave off the attack and clear their lines with some great running, with experienced heads spreading the workload (use of rolling subs) sees the Legends break the length of the field and again the full back that had been hurting the XXXV’s with his lines of running finishes off to leave the score, 25 minutes played, 0-26 - Baa Baa’s rugby or rugby league style, the CS are taking time to meld!

As the XXXV’s begin to use their bench, the end-to-end plays settle to middle of the park stuff and just as this reporter thought the tide was about to turn, the Legends go over in the corner, 0-31. From a good kick off, and the resulting line out, Errol Jones puts Dom O’Connor in the corner, 36 minutes played, 5-31. When DaveBoocock comes on for PaulKeen that’s the whole bench used and it looks to have equalled things out along with one or two decisions going our way finally! A run into the Legends half from Craig Farrington is taken on by Andrew “Pretty Boy”Yeates, who unwisely uses his face as the battering ram and subsequently is then taken off to the hospital (additionally losing his “pretty boy” tag) but some good tackling from Turagabeci and Craig Farrington keeps up the pressure in the Legends half.

Skipper for the day ChrisRichards makes a break and then with good team ruck drills the ball is spun out to where the skipper finds himself in the back line! As he taps the ball through the shouts of ‘NO’ are stifled when he follows the ball and drops on it for the final score of the half, 10-31. The use of rolling subs is now working both ways (sometimes forced) and with a more solid game from the CS XXXV’s, a good end to the half – the second half could be closer if our fitness should count!

CS kicked off and spent the next ten minutes in the Legends half, with Paul Dix ensuring it stays a physical game with some strong running into the “Legends” defence, this leads to more subs on both sides (or injuries) and a good tackles from PaulClark and Paul Dix ensures the pressure is kept up. Back to middle of the park stuff when the XXXV’s come again, the ‘subs’ are taking their toll and Simon “The Dynamo”Hill (Backs Coach) gets the call from the Crowd, baying for him to get changed and show a little magic - after 54 minutes play the Legends made a well worked overlap count and went over in the corner, 10-36. With many positional changes, and some ‘subs’ unable to go back on, the next play showed the metal of the CS XXXV’s as Astley went over – 15-36.

An hour played and good strong rugby is on show, emphasised by LeighWoodhouse and Paul Fisher, with backs and forwards combining well. A very (ex) professional performance from the Legends but good pressure from the XXXV’s sees the exhibition stuff stutter after 65 minutes with the Legends now kicking out of defence. The physical encounters continue with play firmly in their half as CS match their opponent’s man for man, the comeback was on but the clock kept ticking as no quarter was given (or asked for) – come on the XXXV’s!

With the rolling subs continuing against us the Legends finally re-enter our half looking for a good finish. Unfortunately for them from a scrum, the ball is shipped along the CS line and taken deep into their 22, from a resulting line out Simon “The Dynamo” Hill hunts down the “Legends” full back, this pressure ends up with Simon Hill going over in the corner for a last score (much to the crowds Delight) the final score 20-36. A good half from the XXXV’s (winning 2 tries to 1), the early start from the Legends proved too much for a CS team, which put up a tremendous performance to hold and pressurise a very good side. Many thanks must go to the Legends, Moortown RUFC, our sponsor (Wayne Sharp – SERCO) and the Chairmen of the 3 Services for all their support in what has to become an annual event!

A lot of thanks for this match must go to the current CS committee and Sqn Ldr Steve Williams who has tirelessly campaigned to the Combined Service Rugby to start a CS Veterans team.

Thank fully all the injured players went to hospital and were discharged that evening to join up with the squad members, Andy “Henry Cooper” (Broken Nose), Calvin Venn (Broken Tibia) and Matt Crisp (torn ACL).

John Bentley Legends

1 Simon Bunting Rotherham, Sheffield Tigers, Yorkshire

2 Scott Benton Leeds, Morley, England

3 Dave Scully Sheffield Tigers, Yorkshire, England North, England 7s

4 Harry Towes Rotherham, Sheffield Tigers, Canada

5 Sam Coy Rotherham, Yorkshire

6 Gary Woodcock Rotherham, East Retford, England Lionhearts

7 Ian Gresser Rotherham, Cleckheaton, Yorkshire

8 John Dudley Rotherham, Yorkshire, England North, England Legends

9 Scott Willson Rotherham, Harrogate, Morley, Yorkshire

10 Andrew Smith London Scottish, British Army, England Counties

11 Paul Stewart Wakefield, Yorkshire, England North

12 Neil Spence Yorkshire, England Counties

13 Tim Fourier Leeds, Sedgley Park, Dewsbury, South Africa

14 Richard Senior Sedgley Park, Doncaster, Lancashire

15 Rory Jenkins Wasps, Harlequins, England A

16 Simon Wade Rotherham, Yorkshire, England Schools

17 Warren Milne Camberley, Reading, Italy

18 Stuart Dixon Rotherham, Yorkshire

19 Phillip Greaves Rotherham

20 Mark Farrah Harrogate, Otley, Moortown, Yorkshire, England Legends

21 Ryan Duckett Cleakheaton, Bradford Bulls

22 Meae David Hull, Hull FC, Bali Legends

23 Tom Laureston Cleakheaton, Mowden Park

24 Jason Ashcroft Leeds, Waterloo

25 John Bentley British Lions

HELP for HEROS Charity Rugby Day Moortown RUFC