AFTER a successful season in 2007, the declared aim for 2008 was to retain the focus on the next generation of RN players by maintaining the structured programme of team training, designed to bring on both the experienced and the novice players together, and continue the ‘Junior Development scheme’, where a team of three inexperienced RN players, captained by a professional, was entered in eight club tournaments throughout the season.

As ever, the number of RN players available for the season was significantly affected by the operational programme but a core squad of 10 players, namely Richard Mason, Adrian Aplin, Arnie Lustman, Al Wilson, Mike Bowen, Nick Phillips, Giles Hadland, Bob Santrian, Drew Stacey and Tom Burrows were available for some, if not all, of the season.

The RN season began on Friday 18th April with the first of the squad training events. Continuing with the 2007 programme of excellent tutelage by Jason Dixon, a 6 goal former England Captain, the squad met at Tidworth to start this year’s training programme. Last year Jason concentrated exclusively on team play but for the first 2 sessions this year much of the time was spent improving individual skills, before moving on to the discipline of marking, positioning, set-piece and reactive plays.

The first fixture of the season on Saturday 26th April was the Kumar Cup against Eton. As usual, Eton produced a very competent and competitive young side, and the -2 Goal Navy team of Mason, Lustman, Wilson and Phillips faced a very handy 0 Goal Eton side. In the first chukka Eton were quick off the mark and scored 2 goals before the RN settled down; but the Navy then found a rhythm and began to dominate the chukka, Mason scoring twice, to leave the score at 3_ - 2 at the end of the chukka. In the 2nd chukka Mason was temporarily replaced by Simon Maddison and his absence was sorely felt with Eton scoring twice to put the score at 4 – 3_ at half time. In the 3rd chukka the Navy improved and once again started to dominate. Mason scored a good goal but Eton also found the posts. The last chukka started with Eton leading 5 – 4_; the RN pulled out all the stops but unfortunately, although they scored, Eton converted 2 penalties to run out the winners 7 – 5_ at the final whistle. Nevertheless, it was a good showing against an extremely competent Eton team.

The next fixture was the RN weekend which, on a pleasantly sunny afternoon on Saturday 31 May, commenced with the Sacher Cup against Millfield. The -5 goal RN team of Lustman, Wilson, Hadland and Phillips faced a -4 goal Millfield side so knew they would have their work cut out. Sure enough, the well mounted and well drilled Millfield team were the first to score and, despite some spirited RN defending soon extended their lead with a second goal. However, the Navy also had some good attacks and an aggressive run by Lustman resulted in a penalty which Wilson successfully converted to claw a goal back before the chukka ended. Unfortunately that was the only RN goal of the match and in the subsequent 3 chukkas Millfield steadily scored at a rate of 2 goals per chukka to win the game 8 – 1_.

After some painful negotiations following a misunderstanding of the entry process, the first round of the Inter Regimental Tournament took place on Wed 18 Jun with the RN facing a team from Land Command. The Navy team of Mason, Aplin, Lustman and Wilson faced a -5 goal Army side led by Justin Stanhope-White. Starting with a 3_ goal deficit on handicap, the RN knew that there was no room for complacency if they were to progress to the next round. The Navy consequently started hard and Mason was the first to open the scoring. This was followed by an excellent goal by Aplin and a few moments later a good pass by Aplin allowed Lustman to run the ball to goal and notch up the third. The Army then retaliated and capitalised on an error in an RN attack which allowed Stanhope-White to steal the ball and claim a goal for Land Command. However, just before the chukka end, a long shot from Lustman was finished off by Wilson to leave the tally at 4_ - 4 at the bell. The second chukka was scrappy and the RN only found the posts on one occasion (Mason). The third chukka was worse; the Navy allowed Land to muddle the play and close down the game. In the final chukka the RN rallied and played in a more disciplined and structured manner to entirely dominate the field. 5 goals were scored (3 by Aplin and 2 by Mason) and the score was 10 – 4_ at the final whistle. Although winning comfortably, this was not a good showing by the RN and Jason Dixon subsequently provided a detailed and constructive debrief.

The next fixture was the semi final of the Inter Regimental tournament where the RN faced a 2 goal KRH side consisting of three 1 goalers and a competent -1. Starting with a 1_ goal lead on handicap, the RN knew this would be a very testing contest and they would have to play a tight, disciplined game, focussed on marking, if they were to avoid a rout. The Navy began well and each player dominated his man from the start. The KRH were first to score but the RN had their share of attacking runs, one of which resulted in a penalty which Aplin successfully converted. However, the KRH scored a second goal to put the score at 2_ - 2 at chukka end. The second and third chukkas had no score as the Navy successfully closed down the KRH. In the final chukka the RN started well with Aplin scoring a second penalty but the Army also scored and, seconds from the final whistle, they were awarded a penalty which the successfully converted to win by half a goal, 4 – 3_. Disappointed as they were to lose by such a small margin after leading all game, the RN drew praise from those watching for their excellent performance against a much stronger side.

In a departure from previous years’ practice, the Rundle Cup team entered a tournament in the New Forest on 5/6 July as part of their training programme for the Rundle Cup on the following weekend. So on Saturday 5th July Mason, Aplin, Lustman and Wilson met at New Park in Brockenhurst to play Peter Barfoot’s Maize Dulce team. Maize Dulce is a very well established and competent 0 goal team which had won their last 15 matches so the RN knew they were at a disadvantage. Starting with _ a goal on handicap, they Navy began well and closed down Maize Dulce, with no score in the first chukka. In the second chukka both sides scored leaving the RN in the lead 1_ - 1 at half time. The RN maintained the pressure in the third chukka, and, although Maize Dulce had many attacking runs, the Navy prevented them from scoring. Unfortunately in the last minute of the final chukka Maize Dulce found the posts to run out winners, 2 – 1_ at the final whistle. Despite losing, the RN were justifiably pleased with their teamwork, their second good performance which maintained them on the correct curve for the Rundle Cup. Unfortunately the final scheduled practice match, planned for the following day, was cancelled due to appalling weather.

The highlight of the season, the Rundle Cup, took place on Sat 12 July. Contrary to established practice, this year the Army fielded a team with a significantly stronger handicap than the Navy. Since 2002, when The Prince of Wales ceased playing for the RN, the Army have been lobbying to raise the handicap level of the fixture to allow them to field their best players. Accepting that the Navy were not able to follow suit, the Army had offered to allow the RN to bring in a ‘hired hand’ to match the Army handicap but the RN maintained that they would prefer to continue the practice of using serving Sailors or Marines for the Rundle Cup. Thus the -1 Goal Navy team of Richard Mason, Adrian Aplin, Arnie Lustman and Al Wilson knew they would have their work cut out to beat the much stronger (and younger) 3 Goal Army team of Captains Paul Blakiston, Philip Kaye, Quentin Hicks and Lieutenant Colonel Mike O’Dwyer.