Royal Navy’s University Challenge ...

A vocal and enthusiastic crowd braved a damp and chilly evening in Portsmouth to witness the first run out for the newly-formed Royal Navy Senior XV squad. The fixture against Newbury in January had been cancelled so this was the first chance for the Director of Rugby and his coaching team to see his squad play against strong, competitive opposition. Oxford University had travelled down to Portsmouth, fresh from their win a week earlier against the RAF (by 38 points to 14), with a team that boasted 8 Blues and 2 Internationals. The scene was thus set for an interesting and entertaining encounter. The rain eased off but the conditions underfoot were damp and slippery. The RN kicked off and immediately put the opposition under pressure. The Navy made some testing, penetrating runs through the Oxford defence and th ... [Read More]