Six of the Best for CS
Combined Services U23s have called up six more players from the successful Navy U23 team. The six will join the eleven that were selected pre Christmas. Front row players Tom Blackburn, Ritchie Ives and Mark Jones are joined by backrow players Will Cairns, Matt Selstrum and Sam Cuff. Commenting on the selection Navy U23 Head Coach, Doc Cox said: "I am very pleased that the success of the team has been further rewarded. I am particularly pleased for Sam as this is his last season at U23 level and he knows that in his position he will have a hard fight to get into the Senior XV squad. His selection for the CS squad will not only give him added incentive to push hard for a senior place but also vital extra experience. As to the other players again I am pleased for them all and I am already looking forward to next season when if we can keep the squad together we will have a solid core that will have both Inter Service and Combined Service experience. That will help us in our ambition to retain the trophy we worked so hard for this season." A number of players that have been selected for Combined Services U23 are also on the fringe of the Navy Senior XV so the coming few months is going to prove exciting but also potentially demanding. Commenting on the challenge ahead last season's Assistant Team Manager, WO John White said: "Navy Rugby is fully committed to supporting the CS U23s. The coaching staff of the Senior XV have been very accommodating and are in essence utilising the CS games to see how a couple of players perform at the higher level against very good International Student opposition. Each player is being managed on an individual basis and I know that the CS U23 Head Coach is in regular dialogue with the Navy Senior XV coaching staff. What we are very keen on is that an individual player is not either over played or away from his Unit too much whilst still having the opportunity to play rugby at the highest level, be that CS U23 or in the Navy Senior XV. What will be pleasing is that come the Army v Navy game we should have very good Navy Rugby representation in the CS U3 v England Students match." Navy Rugby wishes all the players in the Combined Services U23 squad the very best of luck in their forth coming matches. The first match for CS U23 is against Irish Colleges on Friday 1st February. Kick off is at 19:00 and the game will be played at the Stoop, home of the Harlequins. Hopefully the Naval contingent will find time to look across the road at the Twickenham Stadium and set their sights on running out on the famous turf on Saturday 3 May. For some it will be in the famous Navy Blue and a senior cap but for a number of others the CS U23 match will still be a most rewarding occasion.