The trophy cabinet of HMS Temeraire has a new pot to sit in pride of place – for the first time the Senior Service has taken Inter-Services Rugby League title by notching an historic victory over the Army.

The RN team spoiled the soldiers’ tenth birthday party for the sport, defeating the Army on their home turf of Aldershot by 17-10.

Having dispatched the RAF with aplomb at Burnaby Road, the sailors and Royals made the trip to the soldiers’ patch knowing that they could lose by 17 points and still take the Inter-Services trophy after the airmen defeated the Army.

But the Navy didn’t want to take the title by the back door and put on a show for various Rugby League luminaries, including veteran BBC commentator Ray French as the match was broadcast to Service locations around the world by BFBS.

Determined to avoid a series whitewash, the soldiers started the more strongly and scored the only try of the first half when winger Ben Taylor slipped through a gap in the RN defence to dot down.

Two penalties from the trusted boot of Scot Partis kept the scores level at half-time, despite a barrage from the Army.

A penalty from full back Lee Innes two minutes into the second period saw the Army take the lead again, but once again the sailors bounced back, this time taking charge of the game.

Partis kicked a third penalty to level the scores, then slotted a drop goal to give the RN a one-point advantage.

Substitute Chris Thompson increased the Navy’s lead as he ran through a crumbling Army defence for the Navy’s first try of the afternoon, converted by Partis.

Within five more minutes, the game was out of the Army’s grasp when Dan Johnson sent a looping pass to Richie Neve on the wing to outpace the defence for a score in the corner.

An Army rally saw Jonah Manu put down beneath the sticks, converted by Innes, but it was too late to change the outcome.

The only downside to the day was the defeat of the Academy side who went down to their Army counterparts.

The celebrations at the end of the game, when skipper Martin Walker collected the Inter-Services trophy and Paul Clark was named Man of the Match – were matched by the annual awards presentation, when the following winners were announced: Man of Steel – Jamie Goss; Players’ Player – James Wagstaffe; Young Player – Kevin Botwood; Most Valuable Contribution to RNRL – team manager ‘Aussie’ Mal Badham.