REME Take Inter Corps Title

REME 20pts – Royal Engineers 15

No8 Komalsavai Breaks

The REME seized the Inter Corps crown by 20 pts—15 to end four years of Sapper domination. It was a stirring contest and although the REME took a 17pts lead into the changing room at the interval, the Sappers lined up for the second half with proven finishers and an influential wind to their advantage.

The Sappers fielded five Army caps in the pack and yet it was the corporate heave of the REME that immediately called the tune from the trenches. The front row was rock hard with ‘Turkish’ Titchard-Jones and John Fisher dominating the heavy contacts. Steve Drawbridge, a lighthouse of a man, was everywhere and particularly strong at the line out against Army cap Ralph Cooke.

Behind the ‘engine’ REME No7 Matt Bowman carved chunks out of the Sappers’ close defence for the heavy mob to pile in and drive. Second into contact was the powerful No8 Koms Komaisavai, an alert athlete who did much to revive his chances of wearing a Red shirt.

The REME opened the scoring with a Ceri Cummings penalty and then scored two fine tries through Drawbridge and wing Bill Williams. Cummings converted and the REME supporters had 17pts and two tries to applaud but—a huge ‘but’– the Sappers had turned around a similar disadvantage in 2010.

Ledua Jope – hard to stop

Talk amongst the crowd centred on whether the Royal Engineers could, or indeed would, use the wind to advantage. There was a clear chance to ‘win ugly’ by hoofing the ball into the Red Zone for the pack to thunder or to use their three Army backs to penetrate. It only happened spasmodically. They kicked without conviction and with a ponderous 10—11 link the strike runners had too few opportunities to attack the chalk. Crucially they failed to kick their penalties.

That said the Sappers back row fielding skipper Ledua Jope and Maku Koroiyadi started to make long punishing runs from their own half. ‘Maku’ scored a wonderful try and then crossed for a second–surrounded but hardly opposed –only to have it disallowed. Questions in the ‘house’ debated strongly a situation that would have been the numerical turning point (17pts—8 or 15 !) of the Final.

REME scrum half Tom Chennell - catalyst to attack

When Cummings slotted a second penalty with ten minutes remaining it was wait for the whistle—but not if you were a royal Engineer! Back came the Sappers who had got the hang of the wind-thingy doing the work and they were awarded a penalty try.

With a 20pts—15 REME advantage it could have been anyone’s game again and it was almost possible to hear the adrenalin pumping down Sapper arteries. The Sapper team that turned up for the last ten minutes of this game would have retained the Title—possibly at a canter but then….

This might have been regarded as a battle between two belligerent packs, one assisted by shrewd use of the wind, the other having to run every yard to gain territory. But that tends to overshadow the contributions made by both sets of backs. For the Sappers Peceli Nacamavuto ran skilful lines until engulfed by equally clever and determined defence. Army cap Baks Bakuso ran strongly on the left wing but he either received late or the ball was accompanied by a well sited cover defence.

The REME did it differently. The pack was necessarily all thunder but with Tom Chennell at scrum half and Ceri Cummings at full back they moved the ball like lightening.

Major General John Lorimer Vice President presents the Cup

The Army has new Corps champions and ARU Vice President Major General John Lorimer presented the Cup to signify the end of four years of Royal Engineers domination. If the game was replayed next week and a savvy Sapper team turned up then who knows. We are fortunate to have such strength in depth and such vibrant contests within the Corps Merit Tables.

Man of the Match was awarded to REME No15 Ceri Cummings which was deserved but Tom Chennell, Matt Bowman and Ledua Jope also had great games.