Last season’s ARU Unit Premiership runners-up 12 Regt RA stunned champions 1 YORKS with a battling 18-12 success as the competition got underway with a thrilling double-header on its Showpiece Day.
Yet it was 1 YORKS who came flying out the blocks, pinning their opponents inside their own half – and for much of the first quarter, their own 22 – as they opened the scoring through a Pvt Nakoroivalu try converted by 2Lt Matt Smart.
However, falling behind seemed to sting 12 Regt into action, and they got on the scoreboard when Sgt Maj Sai Qarau touched down on the left.
The conversion effort was unsuccessful, but having had a try disallowed for a foot in touch, they hit the front shortly before the break as Cpl Kenatale slotted a penalty for 8-7.
Two more tries were chalked off as the Stormers dominated the early stages of the second half – both correctly for a double movement and then a forward pass – but they deservedly extended their lead as Bbr Tex Vunakagi crossed the whitewash.
Cpl Kenatale added the extras, but 1 YORKS replied almost immediately, some slick hands ending with a try on the left.
However, that was as good as it got for the champions, and with Cpl Kenatale kicking another penalty, his side ran out deserving winners.
In the opening contest at the Army Stadium in Aldershot, 8 Trg Bn REME won an ebb-and-flow encounter 30-15 against 1 PWRR.
An early penalty from 8 Trg Bn fly-half Mne Brink nudged his side in front, and two quick scores from livewire wing Cfn Kafoa, added to by a conversion and another three points from the boot of Mne Brink, made it 18-0.
However, with a possible landslide seemingly on the cards, 1 PWRR rallied in highly encouraging fashion.
Aided by the sin-binning of Cfn Ben Dodd for an infringement near the line, Tigers’ prop Pte Jordan Guy grabbed two tries at the back of rolling mauls to cut the deficit to 18-10 at the interval.
And they pulled even closer early in the second period with a stunning try from Pte Veriti Naitaka, the full-back given an easy run-in following an astonishing inside pass on the left wing from Pte Mesulame Kini.
However, 8 Trg Bn introduced experienced Army prop Sgt Nathaniel Tichard-Jones into the front row, and a scrum which had started to struggle following a strong start was suddenly well and truly back on top.
1 PWRR suffered a sin-binning of their own as Pte Bruce Tuikova was given a 10-minute rest, and 8 Trg Bn made the most of it with tries from Sgt Mikey Silvester and replacement Cfn Callum Barr adding a gloss to the scoreline, Sgt Silvester adding a kick after taking over kicking duties from the impressive Mne Brink.
Words © Richard Ashton | Images © Army Rugby Union
