New RAF men head coach ready to fight underdogs label ahead of Inter Service opener

This season has sparked a new era for the RAF men's rugby union team as Flight Sergeant Justin Coleman and his team made way for a new coaching set-up headed up by Warrant Officer Tom Gardner.

The hope within RAF rugby union is that the changes off the pitches will create changes on the pitch too as the RAF look to win a first Inter Service championship since 2018.

In last year's tournament, a single point loss to the Royal Navy and a heavy defeat to the British Army in Gloucester put them third in the tournament.

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However, the new RAF head coach doesn't believe that his team should be considered underdogs.

"I certainly don't think we're going into the Inter Service as underdogs," said WO Gardner.

"History would say that we're underdogs because we've come third in every tournament since probably 2018 but, essentially, the longer other teams keep winning, the closer and closer they are to a loss.

"We're just hanging in the background and we'll hopefully have a bit of luck on the day and make a bit of history ourselves."

WO Gardner replaced Flt Sgt Coleman at the start of the season, and results since then have seen a steady progression ahead of the Inter Service games, capped off by a brilliant win over the British Police at Sixways Stadium.

The new regime are hoping their changes will make a difference with WO Gardner saying: "It's sort of refining what we have had and we've gone through a bit of a journey.

"[We've asked the players] how they want to play and how they think rugby should look. We've moulded it how I think rugby should look as well.

"The boys have really bought into the journey and where we go. Without giving too much away, I think there will be a different look of RAF rugby moving forward."