RN Senior XV Squad Named for the Babcock Trophy
The 2012 season saw a young RN Senior XV Team start the training camp at HMS Sultan. The youth of this squad was borne out by 11 new caps being awarded so far this season.
Wins over the Varsity teams, Oxford and Cambridge, for the first time in the same season for 25 years added to a record win over the Irish Defence Forces. This provided proof to the coaching team that the new players had acquitted themselves well at the senior representative level.
Many of the U23s have 'Stood Up' and been blooded at senior level, including 10 players from the U23 Inter Service winning team of 2010 who have now worn a Royal Navy Senior XV shirt. However, tough games against the Marine Nationale in Toulon and the RAF in Portsmouth have clearly brought home what capped games are all about.
The French as expected were as abrasive as ever and in the cauldron of Stade Mayol they kept the pressure on and the boot of their very talented Fly Half won the game for them by 8 penalties to 1.
Atrocious weather at Burnaby Road allowed the RAF to play to its strengths and with greater territory and possession throughout, the men in light blue were unlucky not to come away with a better result.
This has set up the traditional finale to the season at Twickenham as an Inter Service 2012 decider. As strong as ever, the Army will be keen to retain the Babcock Trophy with no quarter being asked for or given in what will be a tough, hard fought game.
Commenting, the Navy DoR, Lt Cdr Andy Kellett said;
'After the first ever clean sweep against the RAF all 3 representative sides are buoyant as they approach this weekend's fixtures. However, we are all fully aware of how capable the Army teams are and we will not be under-estimating the challenge ahead. As favourites, the Army will be as strong as ever, across all their teams, and it will take a mammoth effort from all the players in a Navy Blue Shirt to meet that challenge. We are in good spirits, the final preparations will be completed this week and we look forward to the fantastic support we always get from the travelling fans.'
RN Senior XV Squad
1. NA (AH) K Mason* ** ^ HMNB Devonport
2. NA (AH) B Priddey * ** RNAS Culdrose
3. Lt RN T Blackburn * RNAS Culdrose
4. NA (AH) J. Quarnivalu* RNAS Culdrose
5. POAET M Cormack* ** RNAS Culdrose
6. Mne B Fox* 45 Cdo RM
7. MA S Laird * HMS Collingwood
8. Sgt G Evans * ** 1 ASRM
9. POAET D Pascoe (Capt)* ** + RNAS Culdrose
10. Capt RM T Glover* NCHQ
11. S/Lt RN A Vance* ** HMS Sultan
12. ET (ME) D Sleeman* ** HMNB Devonport
13. AB D Bamford* HMS Dragon
14. Logs (CS) J Drauninui* ** WMO Devonport
15. AET J Humphrey* RNAS Yeovilton
16. Lt RN D Smith* HMS Vanguard
17. AET K Beasley* RNAS Culdrose
18. S/Lt RN H Mitchell-Heggs* HMS Sultan
19. ET (WE) I Cooper * HMS Ambush
20. Mne S Raumakita* 42 Cdo RM
21. Mne J Foster 40 Cdo RM
22. Mne N Huntley* 40 Cdo RM
*RN Cap
** CS Cap
^ International Cap
+ Barbarian