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The Navy rugby team takes on an ambitious fixture list for the 1975-76 season, including a match against Scotland B at Edinburgh on February 25. writes John Jacobsen. The Scottish selectors wanted a warm-up match before Scotland It go to France and the Navy selector, Glyn Thomas.
Kent-
Pack in charge
FIXTURES October 8, Devon (Beacon Park, Plymouth. 7 p.m.). January 7, Hants (Portsmouth, 3 p.m.): 14, Bath (Bath, 7.1$ 21, Cornwall p.m.): (I)evonport. 6 p.m.); 24, Blackheath (Portsmouth, 3 p.m.); 28, Bristol (Bristol, 7.30 p.m.). February 4, Leicester (Leicester, 7.1$ p.m.): II. Civil Service 18. Oxford (Chiswick, 3 University (Portsmouth, 2.30 p.m.): 25. Scotland B (Edin' burgh, time to be announced); 28, Harlequins (Twickenham. p. m.). March 3. Cambridge University (Cambridge. 2.30 p.m.); 13. Army (Twickenham. 3 p.m.): 17. Kent (Chatham, 3p.m.); 27. R,A.F. (Twickenham, 3 p.m.). April 17. Watcrkx) (Waterloo): 19. Birkenhcad Park (Hirkenhead Park), ('omhin&S&'rsk November22. Forces French Armed (Cardiff). December 30. Autralia (Aldershot).
p.m.):
More points than ever in smalib ore
The Army made a clean sweep of all the Inter-Service smailbore rifle and pistol matches this season but the Navy managed to pip the R.A.F. for second place in three out of the four events. In the Inter-Service Smatlbore Rifle Match shot under postal conditions on indoor ranges in various naval establishments, the Navy's team of 30 scored more points than ever before, beating their previous record, which was set up in 1969 when they last won the match, by 39 points. Their total of 5,859 was still 18 points fewer than the Army's which was a new record for the match, but it beat the RAF's by one point, CR0 Dave Vjain (Excellent). CREA Ted Metcalf (Collingwood) and Lieut Brian Wills (Nelson) each scored 199 out of 200 but the NSRA Silver Medal for the best score by a naval competitor was won by CPO Wain, whose score was 198 when a .25 gauge was used, compared wih 197 by the other two.
RECORD APPEARANCES First Officer Joan Botton-Kin. who first shot for the Royal Navy in this match and in the Women's Inter-Service Match in 1955, was a member of the "Thirty" for the 13th time, a record number of appearances. She has shot 21 times for the RN Women, not having missed a match since she was first selected. The Inter-Service Long Range Smalibore Rifle Meeting was held on Ash ranges on September 13 and 14 and in the Prone. Standing and Kneeling Match the Navy finished a very creditable second to the Army - only 42 points behind - an average of seven points a man out of 600. The Navy's score was 41 points better than the winning score last year. The RAF trailed by 324 points in third place and the RN R were a futher 148 points behind. CR0 Stuart Sweetman (Nelson) made the third highest individual 'core of the match, 546 out of 600. only three points fewer than the Winner. in the Long Range match shot the following day under "Double Dcwar" conditions (40 shots at 50 yards and 40 shots at 100 yards) in a steady downpour, the Navy had two teams of six. The A team were fourth. 67 points behind the Army A team, who won, with the RAE A second and the Army B third. HIGHEST AGGREGATE The Inter-Service Long Range Championship was won by the Regular Army for the third year running with a total of 8.172 points, with the RAF second (8.138) the Royal Navy third (8.065) the T & AVR fourth (8,052) and the RNR fifth (7.984). Highest individual aggregate by a naval competitor for the whole meeting, including the individual "Double Dewar" Match shot before the team matches, was 2 116 out of 2,200 made by CPO Wain and Lieut Brian Willis (Dolphin). Peter Howton (Endurance) who had done very little long range shooting before the meeting, was third with 2.100. The Inter-Service Smalibore Pistol Match, shot at Bisley on August Hank Holiday. was won by the Army for only the second time in 15 years. The Navy were second, only 20 points behind and 17 ahead of the RAF, with the Royal Marines fourth. As it was, CR0 Mick Reed (Dacdatus) the RN Smallborc Pistol Champion for the last two years, made the highest individual score of 539 out of 600, with Surg-Cdr (D) Geoff Sharpe (RN Hospital, Plymouth) and Licut David 1.owe (RNEC. Manadon) equal second with 523.
Volleyball is now an officially-recognized sport In the W.R.N.S. and the standard of play is rapidly Improving at unit and service level, !n an exciting W.R.N.S. Inter-Unit Volleyball Competition at H.M.S. TameraIr on September 3 H.M.S. Nelson beat H.M.S. Dasdalus by 3 sets to 1. The picture shows an attack by the Nelson girls.
Services draw at Chiswick
l's'ter foster, of the RN. and Association. R.M. Cycling uin.islted second in the Inter. Ser, ice 12-hour time trial held in conjunction with the Western T,-LA- Event. He covered just over 234 miles.
September
Aitr these two pipe-openers it is most gratifying to see that the selector has the basis of another fine Navy team at his disposal. In addition to the old stalwarts there is some fine talent among the players coming into the side. Tony Witham and Mike Lane make a big, mobile second row and all the new, outsides from Peter Johnson to Nigel Penney look extremely promising. Late flash : Bob Clark, hack from Malta, is also back in the London Scottish Is! XV and will be staking his claim for the hooking berth in the Scotland and Navy front rows.
1
Foster second
Against the French Navy team visiting from the base at Hourtin. near Bordeaux, the RN. pack took total charge at Portsmouth on 8 and gave the backs continuous good ball. Only stout defence by the French outsides held out repeated Navy attacks. However, when the French did see the ball they showed us a glimpse or two of superb running and passing.
Mobile
Volleyball excitement
Csiitshined Services dress i-I with the Civil Scr%iccal Chiswick on September 16 in a final trial before leasing for a two-week tour of Trinidad. Nay y players in the Combined Services tv'acn were Andrew, Dixon. Johnson. 0mm and Gsvynrt.
was looking for an extra fixture before the Army match, which this season falls a week later than usual on March 13 (a date for the diary). To make the RN, season even longer than usual the RN. v RAE. take on old friends ositch is last of all, on March 27, and the Nas at Chatham on March 17 to keep their hand in between the Inter-Services matches.
super-Mare
37
3-PAGE ROUND-UP STARTS HERE
BUSY SEASON FOR NAVY RUGBY
Taff Connolly had a field day, scoring two tries and making the break for the third. The Navy came out winners by 22-9. Against a combined Taunton I Bridgwater I Weston-super-Mare Centenary XV at Westonon September 17. the Navy pack again took charge in the set pieces but the backs could not penetrate a sound defence and the Centenary XV back row pounced on any handling errors - particularly close to the scrums and mauls. The result was that despite two great cries by the Navy backs, one after a 60-yard run by Alan Jones. the Centenary XV came out winners by
NAVY NEWS OCTOBER 197$
TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE REGULAR FORCES
Is /
/ p$I1t/,e1h1e/ "St? /
Check now
To vote in any election your name has to be on the voting list. So every year you must make a service declaration on Form F/Vote/33 which you should have received by now from your Unit or Ship. If not ask for one. (If you are serving abroad and your wife is with you she should complete Form F/Vote/34.) The form must be signed and dated not later than 10th October 1975 (15th September 1975 for Northern Ireland constituencies).
You should then send it to the Electoral Registration Officer at your local council offices at home* to reach him not later than 16th December 1975. Fill in your form NOW or you may lose your vote.
It's your vote ,'ˆ' -don't lose it *Chief Electoral Officer, Belfast for N.lreland residents.