A late try saw the Army Masters continue their unbeaten season as they saw off the English Fire Service in an entertaining 32-27 win in Aldershot in which the teams shared seven tries.
The Masters could not have had a better start, despite having a penalty touchfinder stay marginally infield. That’s because the Fire Service knocked the ball on, giving the red shirts a scrum in a fantastic position, and when Cpl Vukinavanua (AAC) hit a short line off centre partner Sgt Nacamavuto (RE) there was no one to stop him on the way to the whitewash.
But the Fire Service replied in kind, centre George Owen mirroring what his Army opponents had done by bursting through the defence to score unopposed.
With both conversions being added the margin between the teams was still the same as it had been four minutes previously, but the way the game had started was a clear indicator of the positive intent on display.
Fire Service winger James Watt’s cheeky goal line drop out was another example, only for the winger to fail to recover the ball after it had travelled the required five metres, and the visitors followed this up with an attempted attack from deep.
For the Army there was a good run from Sgt Muskwe (RAPTC), who was found in the open by a Maj Mitchell (RLC) chip, and an opportunistic break down the touchline from Sgt Nacamavuto.
The hosts’ second try came in the 14th minute, and for all the imaginative attacking which had preceded it the score itself was created by solid phase play from the forwards, Maj Mitchell on hand to pirouette out of an attempted tackle to dive over.
By now the game was also settling down, but after Maj Mitchell hit the post with a penalty it was the Fire Service who scored next, Ieuan Mainwaring finishing off Owen’s searing break up the left.
It only took a couple of minutes for the Army to respond. To this point the lineout had been something of a lottery, but the pack showed what they could do with possession by securing a ball at the front and driving a full 15 metres into the visitors’ 22.
Playing with an advantage the ball was slung wide, Sgt Nacamavuto sending out a superb pass off his left hand to winger Sgt Murray (RE) and the Sapper did the rest, sidestepping inside a tackle and showing good strength to finish things off.
A Fire Service penalty closed the gap to 19-17, which Maj Mitchell nullified with five minutes to play in the first half.
But the Army were left rueing a glorious opportunity at the end of the first half when, playing with a man advantage in the pack, they were unable to turn a five-metre scrum into points.
As with the first half, the red shirts came out firing as the action resumed, WO2 Harris (R Welsh) kicking an early penalty to extend the lead to eight points. This buffer was healthy, but not as strong as the red shirts’ defence had to be for the next few minutes as the Fire Service piled on plenty of pressure.
But a penalty was won, as was a lineout against the throw, and then a fierce tackle forced a pass into touch. And then when the visitors’ discipline failed them twice in quick succession the Army were back in the right areas of the field to launch an attack.
The Fire Service held out, and the breakneck pace continued with both sets of players attacking from deep and forwards and backs alike displaying slick handling skills which belied the heavy ground and soggy surface.
So it was something of a surprise not only that it took until the 63rd minute for there to be another point scored, but also that it came from a set piece play run from a lineout, the Fire Service’s Harry Amos crashing over from close range.
At 25-24 the last thing the contest needed was a rain shower, but the entertainment continued and a Mitch Pinkus penalty 10 minutes from time edged the Fire Service in front, 27-25.
There was plenty of endeavour from the Army, but at the crucial moments they were on the wrong side of the referee’s decisions. That was until a powerful scrum earned a penalty advantage, Sgt Nacamavuto made a burst through the midfield and Sgt Qaranivalu (Yorks) was on the receiving end of the scoring pass.
WO2 Harris landed the conversion from in front of the sticks to make the score 32-27.
There were still a few minutes to play and pressure to withstand as the Fire Service sent repeated penalties into the corner. But the red shirts had the confidence and character, and held out for the win.
The Army Masters are next in action against Army Scotland in February as their build-up towards the 2023 Inter-Services Championship continues.
