Fire Brigade Extinguish Mariners' Threat

On a cold, blustery evening at Havant Rugby Club, the Royal Navy Mariners faced the England Fire Brigade in a memorial match for the late Cdr “Beasty” Williams RN. With generous support from Rhode & Schwarz, the night combined competitive rugby with heartfelt tribute. The Mariners showed grit and intensity in the early exchanges, but the Fire Brigade’s pace and precision stretched the scoreline. Though the visitors lifted the trophy, the occasion stood above the result—a proud and fitting celebration of Beasty’s legacy.

A partisan crowd gathered in challenging conditions to witness a determined Mariners side face a younger, fitter, and well-drilled national Fire Brigade team. The Royal Navy coaching staff had called for a performance, and for the opening 60 minutes, their players delivered.

The first half was a fiercely contested affair. England Fire Brigade looked dangerous out wide, using powerful running lines to stretch the Mariners’ scramble defence. However, the Royal Navy responded with direct, physical carrying through the middle, repeatedly punching holes in the opposition line. Their efforts were rewarded with two well-worked tries, keeping them firmly in the contest. At the break, the Mariners trailed by just five points, a fair reflection of a competitive opening period.

As the second half unfolded, both sides began to experiment with combinations, with the Royal Navy using the opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Inter Services campaign. Despite continuing to dominate the set piece and showing real physicality in contact, the Mariners found it increasingly difficult to contain the Fire Brigade’s pace and execution out wide.

The visitors capitalised clinically, stretching the scoreline to 19 – 59. While the final result appeared one-sided, it did not truly reflect the intensity, effort, and quality shown by the Mariners, particularly in the first hour.

Following the match, Jane Williams, Beasty’s widow, attended as VIP alongside Gary McKay, Managing Director of Rhode & Schwarz, to present the Beasty Williams Trophy to the England Fire Brigade.

It was a challenging night on the scoreboard for the Royal Navy Mariners, but an invaluable test and a fitting occasion. Both teams will take positives as they build towards the Inter Services, with the match serving as a proud tribute to Cdr Williams’ legacy.

Mariners: S Winfield, E Gaught, C Ellor; L Williams-Notley, L John; C Carr (C), H Hales, V Valemei; S Mullane, J Parsons, P Saberton, M Southern, D Waryck, R Ede, M Horton.

Replacements: P Price, A Burnside-Shonk, A Riley, C Otway, S Hillman, T Blackburn, J Acaster, R Hall, E Boden, C Campbell, B Jones, M Hutton.

Words by Tim Leeder

Images by Cinnabar Studios