The new rugby league season got off to a flying start last month with convincing wins for both the RN First XIII and the Royal Marines corps side.

A full 13-a-side ‘friendly’ was played at HMS Sultan between the Royal Navy and the Gosport and Fareham Vikings, which saw the Navy run out 40-26 winners.

The Navy played some terrific open rugby to dominate most of the match, but tries either side of half-time showed the Vikings were not going to give up without a fight, and a three-try spell in the last quarter gave the scoreline a more satisfying look from the civilians’ point of view.

The first half Navy onslaught paved the way to victory, with tries for Neil Chapman (two), Fijian Atuwaisa Vuniwaqa (two) and Brett Lee, with four goals from Scott Partis.

The second half was more even, but a try apiece from Partis and man-of-the-match Jordan James, plus two further goals from Partis, sealed the result.

The Royal Marines side had a storming start to their season with a resounding 52-0 demolition of the Royal Logistical Corps at Chivenor.

The Royals took the initiative and applied pressure from the start, with early tries from Smudge Smith and Taff Rossiter being converted by Jamie Goss.

A three-try blitz just before the break killed off the game at 30-0, but the Royals maintained the pressure during the second half with four tries from Jamie Goss (two), Ginge Sullivan and Paul Wood, with Goss kicking three conversions.

A great display of aggressive attack and sound defence were the foundations for the win under new captain Jake Robb, and a personal tally of 28 points saw Jamie Goss take the Man of the Match trophy.

July is a busy month for the Royal Navy Rugby League, with July 16 seeing the Inter-Command competition being held for the third and possibly final time at HMS Dryad.

With several major units returning from operations, organiser LPT Jay Murphy is hoping for a big turn-out at this popular and fiercely-competitive tournament, in which the Royals will be looking to make it three wins in a row.

To round off the month, the full Navy squad travels north to face the Great Britain Police in the SCC competition at the Shawcross club in Dewsbury on July 24.