RAF Mustangs soar after dethroning British Army Jackals to win Inter Services
The RAF Mustangs are celebrating Inter Service American Football glory, having beaten the reigning champions, the British Army Jackals – a game which now involves "the youngest but now the biggest rivalry" in the words of winning captain Corporal Curtis Colhoun.
The RAF skipper said he was looking forward to "many more [games] against them" as one of several signs that UK military American Football is not only alive and well but building its profile in the forces.
Another nod to its increasing popularity is the fervent support from the stands – a healthy mix of fans cheering on both sides, who had braved the frigid late October air at Abingdon's Tilsley Park.
At the end of the match, players on both sides also expressed hope of playing together under a tri-service banner, such is the thirst for more gridiron games in the UK Armed Forces.
The decider was a match that lived up to its billing – in the scoreline at least – aiming to be an entertaining finish to a disjointed campaign in which the first game was in March, with the other two fixtures being played in October (there are murmurs that the championship could move to the spring, but for now, the finale remains against a backdrop of autumn leaves).
Both sides came into the match having beaten the Royal Navy and knew a win would give them the trophy.
The Royal Air Force deserved their victory, having scored in the opening minute of the first quarter and never relinquishing control of the scoreboard. A Lewis Truman touchdown got them going right from the off, as his team capitalised on some prior Army fumbles, and kicker Dylan Pole added the extras.
They maintained pressure on the Army right through the first half, with another touchdown coming courtesy of star receiver on the day, Elliott Knight, to go 14-nil up.
The Jackals, however, fought back with a Drew Newiss touchdown to leave the score 14-6 at the interval.
The light blues started the second half much as they had begun the first – with a score – and a second for Elliott Knight; an immense 69-yard touchdown.
The Army did have another say, though, as it was Jacob Shotton's time to shine, firstly with a fourth-quarter touchdown, and then a catch to add the two-point conversion, as well.
It wasn't quite enough to hold off the pressure placed on them by the Mustangs, and the Royal Air Force reign supreme in 2025.
RAF Captain Colhoun explained the part that cohesion played in his team's win: "We've got players that play all across Britball, playing in different teams, but play together, so they have that synergy and chemistry, and we were capitalising on it this time.
"The Army dominated that last year, where we didn't have those plays; they were broken because we didn't have that chemistry. Three years of growth now, and the team gels and knows exactly what to do – that's how we were able to dominate and control this game."
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