Army Senior Men’s skipper Capt Stu Cross (RMAS/Yorks) says everything his side has done so far this season has led to Saturday’s first Inter Service game against the RAF at Kingsholm (KO 1515hrs).
Three Development XV victories against British Police, Blackheath and Oxford Greyhounds were followed by senior defeats to Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the Red Shirts responding in fine fashion with a terrific 27-12 home success against the French Army.
And while his side were beaten 38-10 in the Mobbs Memorial Match at Championship outfit Bedford Blues last Thursday, Capt Cross said there has been an upping of intensity with the RAF on the horizon.
He explained: “There’s a different focus when it comes to Inter-Services week. Everyone comes in and is fully aware the development games, the preparation has led to this point – it’s what the whole season builds towards and it’s exciting.
“The Development games are there for a reason – it’s a chance for talented players in the Army to put their hands up for selection for this part of the season, and it’s done that.
“This was always going to be perceived as a transition year with some senior players leaving, a change in coaching staff at the last minute, and a chance to try new combinations which hopefully will bear fruit in these two games.”
He continued: “When results don’t go the way you want, even if you get what you want out of those games, if you lose there’s always an element of frustration.
“Ultimately, we’re soldiers and competitive by nature, so the fact we’ve lost a couple of those games is frustrating, but we have to focus on getting what we wanted which was performances and new combinations, and I think we achieved that.”
Describing the French success as the highlight of the campaign to date, Capt Cross – who is equally adept in the second or back rows – revealed: “I was immensely proud of how we handled ourselves, the physicality – whether legal or illegal – we stood up to it, and the illegal stuff won’t come from the RAF or the Navy.
“After a few years the France game was back to being capped, and that re-added the focus along with the Inter-Services games.
“We had eight new caps, so they were all striving for a performance and the shirt, so while it’s been separated from the IS, it’s firmly linked.
“We set the standard in that game. Since then, we’ve parked it, had a camp – which was about getting clarity and accuracy in what we wanted – and a game with Bedford which was about producing that on the pitch.
“Things aren’t done in isolation; it’s about linking it all together and building up to this week. It’s super exciting.”
He added: “We still need to raise things from the France game because these two teams are coming at us – the RAF were IS champions in 2018, that’s not too long ago. We’ve really got to step up to the plate.
“They showed a huge amount of heart in drawing (13-13 from 13-3 down) with the Navy on a pitch which was probably questionable.
“It’s hard to look at the game and know what each side was trying to produce because of (the conditions), but their physicality, heart and determination to get themselves back into the game, and a winning position, was strong – they’ll probably walk away thinking ‘how did we not win that at the end?’”
Leading from the front v the French Army.
Commenting on what the captaincy of the Red Shirts means to him – and his journey through the ranks – he admitted: “It’s up there with one of the biggest honours of my military career. I’ve been in and around the side since Sandhurst, so to get the armband is a huge honour especially with this group of players who are class – I’m supported brilliantly by the senior players.
“I was spotted while playing at Sandhurst (in 2016) and then I was in what was the ‘A’ side for a couple of years, on the fringes of the senior squad, but I couldn’t quite break into it.
“Then I had my breakthrough year (first cap against the RAF in 2018) and I haven’t really looked back other than last season.
“I got the call before Christmas the new coaching set-up was keen to have me down and involved in the squad, and I was clear from the outset I wanted to earn my shirt and they thought I was worthy; I’d like to take on the captaincy role. Fortunately, it’s worked out.”
On his style of leadership, he continued: “You try and do it organically without forcing anything too crazy – the biggest thing is ensuring everyone is gelling where they can, creating an environment where there aren’t any cliques – and allowing it to happen naturally.
“We’re lucky in that regard as soon as you come into Army rugby, your regimental ties, your cap badge, your rank becomes irrelevant.
“The coach is a Lt Colonel, but he’s Tim (Osman) while we’re at rugby – outside rugby he’s clearly ‘sir’!
“The leadership group has meetings which allows two-way feedback between the players and the coaches, and while the coaches say they can’t build the culture, they can help it and do so by providing conditions where we can break away from the pure rugby.
“We can go for a coffee, a sit down, have a chat and get to know people on a personal basis.”
When it comes to pre-match pep-talks on gameday, he added: “I’m no Jim Telfer – very few are – or an Andy Farrell, I tend to go for a simple three points I want to achieve.
“The leadership group help in that regard because one voice quickly becomes a boring voice, so you have to rely on your other leaders like Bola, Pete Austin, to say their bit.
“Pete probably does more of the gee-up and can be an authoritative voice, and I focus on the two or three simple points before we step out.”
With a host of talented youngsters breaking into the squad for an exciting two games to come, Capt Cross believes the environment allows them to thrive, stating: “They’re probably the people you have to target because if you haven’t experienced it before, it can be quite a daunting set-up.
“Potentially as a Captain or Tim as a Lt Colonel, it could be quite a scary thing for a Private or Sapper, but so as long as you create an environment, nip that quickly and make it clear we’re a 15, 23, 30-man squad, everyone has a voice.
“You may be an 18-year-old Sapper, but potentially before the Army your rugby experience may far outweigh mine – everyone has to have a voice, especially in the key positions.
“We speak about JJ (Spr Jack Johnson) at 10, Glix (2Lt Al Gliksen) is new into the squad at nine, Mikey McDonald, you’ve got to give them the environment to lead.”
Spr McDonald (RE) and his brother Cameron, also a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, recently made history by becoming the first brothers to play an international match together while in the Army as they represented Germany against the Netherlands.
And with Rfn Vereimi Qorowale (Rifles) having also enjoyed recent experience with Newcastle Falcons, Capt Cross believes such experiences will only benefit the Army squad.
He commented: “It’s a platform for the talented players in the Army – and I’m sure there are plenty more in the Corps and Unit sides we haven’t scratched the surface with – to bring the experience of elite rugby back into the squad. That’s super.
“Their mindset of going into an international group, they have the clarity which we need to get into our own game, albeit it’s quite difficult with the short meet-ups.
“Players don’t necessarily look at them with adoration, but there’s a respect to be quiet and listen to what they have to say because their experiences are crucial.”
Having shared his views across a wide range of topics, the skipper returned to the job most at hand – that of the RAF – as Capt Cross revealed what he expects of the side at Kingsholm.
He concluded: “Sometimes you can focus on the other teams too much – we’ll analyse as they will of us – but we’ve just got to focus on our game and execute what we want to do.
“I’m expecting everyone to put their hand up with the determination and clarity in what we’re trying to achieve.
“As a team our discipline probably hasn’t been where it needs to be throughout the season, so it’s something we’ve looked at and addressed and I’ll try and become best mates with the referee at the toss!
“I think there’s also an element that having been selected, the players can relax and not have to fight and scrap – if you look at the France game, in the first 40 minutes, it was our best half in terms of discipline. Hopefully we’ll replicate that again this week.”
Tickets for the 2023 Inter-Services Championship are now on sale.
CLICK HERE for information about the Army v RAF at Kingsholm, Gloucester, on Saturday, April 15th.
CLICK HERE for information about Army Navy at Twickenham on Saturday, May 13th.
Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks
All images – Alligin Photography © Cat Goryn
