A stunning first-half blitz helped the Stormers go one better than last year as they defeated 1 Royal Welsh 29-12 to win the Army Premiership Cup final at Newbury RFC.
Narrowly beaten by 1 R Yorks 12 months before, Stormers righted the wrongs of that day with a superb team performance to take the silverware.
They enjoyed a perfect start as a strong scrum earned a penalty midway inside the Welsh’ 22, the advantage allowing fly-half Bdr Owain Davies – fresh from his Army appearance at Twickenham on Saturday – to place a fine cross-field kick for LBdr Antonio Rede to open the scoring.
While Davies’ conversion attempt was held up in the wind, Stormers quickly extended their advantage on the back of a superb charge from inside centre Bdr Eps Naulumatua.
His burst took his side near the line, and some fine inter-play from flankers Bdr Alfredo Naulivou and Bdr Ben Naiyaga ended with the former touching down, Bdr Davies on target for 12-0.
It got even better for Stormers as a classy line from man-of-the-match full-back SSgt Dom Carrol freed Gnr Josh Vakasilikakala to cross on the right, their fourth try coming before the break as No. 8 WAT Tom Chave rode over at the back of a maul.
Davies added the extras to make it 24-0 at the interval, but having endured a first half which could not have gone much worse, Welsh came firing out of the blocks to give themselves a lifeline.
A fine break from scrum-half Cfn Josh Edward took them hurtling towards the line, and after Fus James Disney burrowed over from close range, Fus Rokodaini Waicolawaya slotted the conversion to get his side up and running.
Almost immediately Fus Misa Rokotuiwakaya went over on the left, and with Gnr Vakasilikakala then sin-binned for Stormers, dreams of a Welsh comeback were piqued.
However, the introduction of two more Army starters on Saturday, hooker Bdr Pete Austin and scrum-half 2Lt Al Gliksten, steadied the Stormers ship, the former riding over from a set-piece for 29-12.
With Carrol moving to fly-half to partner Gliksten, the duo controlled play for the final quarter, upping the tempo but also ensuring Welsh were generally pinned inside their own half.
Indeed they could have increased their advantage – held up over the line and also knocked into touch on the left – but they were well worth their victory, a late scuffle seeing Welsh skipper Cpl Aporoasa Masicola sin-binned to cap a disappointing afternoon for his side on their first final since 2019.
Words © Richard Ashton
All images – Alligin Photography © Lee Crabb
