Army 7′s Team Management & Contact Details

Colonel Andy Allen MBE – Director of Senior Rugby

Reporting directly into the ARU Chairman and Management Board, Andy has the responsibility for management and direction of the Senior XV and VII’s teams. His best rugby has been played on the wing for REME, BAOR and Hong Kong – and a couple of skirmishes as a centre for civilian clubs. After finishing his playing career with the Army Veterans, he dabbled in coaching but soon found himself without a rugby portfolio. Fortunately the appointment of Chairman Army Veterans came to his rescue. It was during this appointment Andy got the taste for management and after 3 successful seasons, which saw the Army Veterans taking on a more professional profile, Andy relinquished the appointment and established the long overdue Combined Services Veterans in 2008. At the start of the 2009/10 season Andy was voted in as Director of Senior Rugby. When not giving people a good talking to about rugby, Andy is the Team Leader of Special Projects Multi Air Platforms in Yeovilton. Married to Linda, they have two children Alexander (13) and Cassie (16).

Contact details

Tel: 01935 45 3511
Mob: 07500 124889

Email: DES-SPMAP-PTL@esair.dlo.mod.uk

Captain J Voss – Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers – Team Manager

John Voss’s primary duties concern the technical side of tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. He is also hugely experienced in the arts and sciences of rugby football. After his playing days he turned to coaching, and refereeing where he gained Army and Combined Services colours. He now oversees the successful Army 7s squad which is his first crack at representative management – a true baptism of fire especially when most of the team speak Fijian to prevent him keeping up with the plot! Nevertheless JV runs a tight ship where the players know they, and the playing of the game, are his only priorities.

Contact details:

Mob: 07712 762598
Email: johnvoss1@hotmail.com

WARRANT OFFICER 2 STEVE SMITH – ROYAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS - Assistant Team Manager

Steve (or Smurf to his mates) is a proud rugby man that loves the game and still wants to be involved at the highest levels, maybe he is getting old and the knocks start to hurt! Nerveless he volunteered to take up the role as Assistant Team Manager where he is totally committed in supporting the team. His enthusiasm and ingenuity know no bounds, washing twenty filthy stinking sets of kit for the following morning or driving the van some 600 miles to provide his complete brand of support. Importantly he also micro-manages the ‘stash’, so don’t even think of it, the answer is no! Smurf is a proud supporter of Welsh rugby and currently hopes that Wales will win the next 6 nations, we hope they will do better than his local club of Newport!

Corporal ‘Alfred’ Vakacokovanua – Head Coach

Lance Corporal Vakacokovanua – Team Coach’Alfred’ is a rugby legend by any standards and a founding member of the Army 7s team. Alfred won a Gold Medal at the Hong Kong 7s in 1997 representing Fiji and two Middlesex 7s winner’s medals in 2001 and 2004. He gained six full Army caps, represented the Combined Services and the Barbarians. No one that size should be allowed to travel at Alfred’s speed without a crash helmet. After graduating from Nasinu College, Fiji he played for the Fiji Army and Suva Province before he arrived in England. Returning from a solid stint of ‘Ops’ with the Scots Guards he has now turned to coaching. A man of vision who has the complete attention of the squad – a quiet word and a nod is Alfred’s style.

Contact details:

Contact via ARU

CAPTAIN JONATHON LORD – ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS – Physiotherapist

Jon (or Arnie to Steve who is Danny Devitos lookalike in Twins) is an avid all round sportsman who loves Hockey and represents at Army level has taken over the appointment of Physio for the team where he is proud to tell everyone he has firm stronger hands (however he cant juggle!) than Charlie! A proud Bath man who totally supports the team, you will always see him ready on the side of the pitch to pounce when a player has taken a knock of fall which is welcomed by the team and the odd referee! However, he is confused which international roots as he supports England but also supports Wales for his wife and keep peace keeping duties within the family! That said, he is an asset which has a calm demeanour and supports the players both on and off the pitch at all times.

Lance Corporal Isoa Damudamu – Assistant Coach

Damu’ is, unusually, an England 7s rugby international having qualified via residency. England coach Ben Ryan labelled him as probably the best sevens forward in the world. He attended the Nasinu Secondary School in Suva where he graduated with honours. He deployed with the Highlanders Battle Group to Bosnia in 2003. A natural sportsman who developed his rugby in the Army Academy teams where in 2002 he scored five tries against the RAF at Aldershot. It was as a 7s player that he initially made his name at senior level when the Army won the 2004 Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham. Damu thrives on the big stage. His handling skills are legendary, he has the speed of a back and a wonderful curving run to the posts. Currently injured and hoping for a call to the Commonwealth Games he is helping Alfred set the tone.