A powerful display of attacking rugby in the second half of the big match at Twickenham saw a formidable Army team bury the Royal Navy by 53 points to 16.

With the Navy just two scores behind at half-time, there seemed to be a chance of a close finish, but the soldiers’ power, speed and cohesion saw them run away with the Babcock Trophy and the 2003 Inter-Services championship.

The game, transmitted live by Sky and BFBS, and sponsored by Babcock for the first time, lived up to the hype.

The Princess Royal was there to present the Babcock Trophy and the Inter-Services Bowl to Cpl Mal Roberts, who was named Man of the Match for his personal contribution of 23 points and a fine show of leadership.

The crowd of about 35,000 were entertained by end-to-end rugby, but the men in red were always able to finish when the Senior Service could not.

The match was played in warm sunshine, and both teams were led out by their mascots – in the Navy’s case, ten-year-old Sammy Rankin.

After a minute’s silence for fallen comrades and the National Anthem, it was into action, and the Army were on the scoreboard with a penalty kick after just two minutes.

The Navy hit back immediately with scrum-half Dave Pascoe slotting home a superb 40-metre kick a minute later, but this prompted the Army to go on to the offensive for a torrid ten-minute spell, forcing the Navy to defend in depth.

The Fijian connection, expected last year, was more in evidence this time round as the Army forwards attacked in waves, and No 8 Pte Isoa Damudamu had a storming first quarter.

The Navy were pinned in their 22, and after 14 minutes a fluent back move allowed Army winger Pte Emosi Naisaramaki in for their first try, tough the conversion was missed.

The Navy fought back with some good running, but the ball security was poor and too much slow ball allowed the Army to get into the Navy’s faces.

On the 20-minute mark a Navy drop-goal attempt was charged down and picked up by the Army. With options across the field Army centre Lt Edward Smith used his three-man overlap and flanker Pte Apolosi Satala scored an easy try.

In the defensive move of that attack Navy hooker S/Lt George Baird was concussed and LNA Andrew Laity replaced him.

Navy full-back and England cap Spencer Brown then seized an opportunity to make ground, running through the Army defence, but possession was lost by hard-hitting, aggressive Army tackling.

Still on the attack, the Navy were able to score three more points through the boot of Pascoe after fly-half Paul Clark and winger James Hearsey linked together for a good back move.

Army v Navy games are never lacking passion and Damudamu was sin-binned in the 26th minute for a wayward punch.

Taking advantage of the extra man, the Navy were on the attack again using centre Mne Neil Williams to link with Clark, and when the Army were penalized for offside 15 yards in front of the posts the three points were grabbed by Pascoe again.

With Navy winger Simon Channing sin-binned for a highly-debatable late tackle, the sides were down to 14 apiece, and the score only changed by another three points to Army before the half-time whistle, Brown finishing with another sniping run up the centre.

At 18-9 in Army’s favour at half-time a contest was still in the offing, but two quick tries in the first ten minutes after the break left the Navy with a mountain to climb.

The second half started at pace and Roberts scored a very skilful individual try after only three minutes, his pace and agility out-classing four Navy tacklers and the RN defence was nowhere. He converted his own try to push the score on to 25-9.

The Navy needed to score next and played some quality rugby, but it was that inability to finish that cost them dearly.

The Dark Blue forwards had battered the line three times only to see the backs get turned over, and when Army fly-half Dan Coen kicked 60 yards downfield the RN boys were in full chase.

The Navy were unable to clear their lines and the Army backs finished fluently, Graham scoring under the posts and Roberts converting.

S/Lt Will Jerrold replaced flanker S/Lt Michael Cox and S/Lt Ollie Hucker came on after 54 minutes.

Jerrold and Hucker were winning their first Navy caps, but no sooner had Hucker entered the fray than he went down with torn knee ligaments.

Rapid changes in the forwards and re-arrangements in the backs were forced on the Navy and only a few minutes later Army had scored again through winger Cpl Bruno Green.

POWEA Simon Burns had replaced Lt Mike Cordner for a blood injury and then came back on again to replace Hucker.

Although disrupted, the next ten minutes saw solid defence from the Navy, and it was rewarded when a succession of penalties edged the Blues closer and closer to the Army line.

With 75 minutes on the clock there was no kicking for three points now; the Navy needed a try for morale and proof of determination.

That try came when Matt Parker took a quick tap penalty ten yards out in front of the posts and burst through three red shirts to touch down beside the post, giving Pascoe an easy conversion.

At 39-16 it was probably a fair reflection of the game – a deserved victory by the Army, but a points differential that Navy could have possibly accepted.

How simple it would be if the game ran to script!

On 80 minutes the Navy were guilty of weak defence – and probably weary legs – and Smith got over the try-line to push the score along, with the dependable Roberts slotting home the conversion.

Salt was well and truly rubbed into the wounds deep in injury time, in the 86th minute, when the Army replacement centre, Pte Saulo Roko, scored again and Roberts converted.

The Navy side went away knowing they were well beaten by a very strong outfit which was well-led, managed and organized.

But the Royal Navy also know that their efforts were not accurately reflected in the final score.

Having used a squad of 71 players and had ten new caps this season, it has been a rebuilding period.

The Navy will have to wait until next year; perhaps things will be done differently, but whatever, Army v Navy rugby is as strong as it has ever been.

Man of the Match: Cpl Mal Roberts; RN Man of the Match: Capt Matt Parker RM.

Royal Navy: PO Nick Bartlett (C) (HMS Flying Fox), S/Lt George Baird (RAF Cranwell) (LNA Andrew Laity 22 mins), AEM Dan Parkes (HMS Heron) (POWEA Simon Burns 76 mins), SGT Bob Armstrong (CTCRM Lympstone), Surg Lt Mike Cordner (HMS Raleigh) (POWEA Simon Burns (blood)), Lt Roger Readwin (BRNC Dartmouth) (S/Lt Ollie Hucker 55 mins), S/Lt Michael Cox (HMS Inverness) (S/Lt Will Jerrold 52 mins), Capt Matt Parker (FPGRM Faslane), AEM Dave Pascoe (HMS Seahawk), Lt Paul Clark (BRNC Dartmouth), AEM James Hearsey (HMS Heron), (PO Dave Sibson 40 mins) Mne Neil Williams (CTCRM Lympstone), Lt Andy Crompton (HMS Heron), LAEM Simon Channing (HMS Heron), MSN Spencer Brown (Bristol Careers) (Owen Salmon 80 mins).

Replacements: LNA Andrew Laity (HMS Invincible), POWEA Simon Burns (HMS St Albans) S/Lt Ollie Hucker (HMS Brocklesbury), S/Lt Will Jerrold (HMS Sultan), AEM Owen Salmon (HMS Heron), PO(S) Dave Sibson (BRNC Dartmouth), OM Dave Jones (HMS Newcastle).

Army: Trethewey, Kemble, Stewart, Smith, Hughes, Satala, Cadwaller, Damudamu, Slade-Jones, Coen, Green, Smith, Graham, Naisaramaki, Roberts.

Replacements: Cunvin, Roko, Ball, Vakacokavanua, Budgen, Beart, Delaitamana.
Referee: Steve Leyshon

The Navy squad flew out to New Zealand last night to defend the Commonwealth Cup against the host navy and their Australian counterparts.

The Navy squad will be staying in Auckland during their stay Down Under – by coincidence the sponsors of the Army-Navy match, Babcock, run the naval dockyard.