Sport

Army v Cambridge Preview: Opportunity Knocks For Next Generation Of Stars

Defending Inter-Services rugby union champions the Army get their season underway on Wednesday when they travel to Grange Road to take on the students of Cambridge University.

It comes just under four months before the Army take on the blues of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in the 2018 Inter-Services Championship.

Always an entertaining fixture, the Cambridge game gives the Army management the chance to see which players can make the step up from regimental and corps colours to compete at senior level.

Army v Cambridge University this evening, at Cambridge, KO 1915 congratulations to all selected, have a good game ???? #armyrugby #armyrugbyunion #forcessport #soldierfirst #britisharmysport #samuraifamily pic.twitter.com/Z8Nemnuxg3
— Army Rugby Union (@armyrugbyunion) January 17, 2018

Army head coach Captain Andy Sanger says the students will provide the military men with the perfect examination.

Speaking to Forces Network's Julian Evans during a training session in Aldershot, he said:

"They tend to play quite an expansive game and we're looking to be a little bit more expansive this season as well, so [I'm] looking forward to it."

Several senior players retired from Army rugby last season.

Capt Sanger says filling the void won't be easy but the next generation now has a chance to make its mark:

"A lot of stalwarts of Army Rugby have moved on, which is a good and a bad thing... It's an opportunity [for new players] and they've got to grasp it."

Many established Army players have been enjoying game time with leading RFU Championship and National League 1 clubs this season.

Fly-half Lance Corporal James Dixon (above) will skipper the Army against Cambridge.

He's been marshalling teammates at National League 1 side Birmingham Moseley this season but now he's looking to steer the Army to success.

LCpl Dixon said: "We see it as [the] inter-services already [having] started because the campaign towards those games is all building from now... The work that goes into those two games is massive."

After taking on Cambridge the Army will look towards a tie with their old rivals Oxford University at the end of month, with games against the British police, French Army and Northampton to follow as the team builds towards the Inter-Services.