Royal Navy men aim to turn disappointment into triumph in opening RAF game

Despite the disappointment of conceding the Inter Service title to the British Army in 2024, the Royal Navy men plan to enter into this year's tournament with a "business as usual" like attitude.

But a frustrating loss to the French Marine Nationale in Havant a few weeks ago served as a stark wake up call for the Senior Service, as the team prepares to mount their Inter Services campaign against the Royal Air Force at the Cinch Stadium in Northampton.

Team captain, Captain Jarrard Hayler RM, told BFBS that the team is "looking strong" ahead of their opening clash.

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He said: "I think for us we take every year as it comes and, like you say, business as usual.

"Disappointing result against the French, but we're really going to try and turn that around now and take that into the RAF.

"We've taken a deep dive into that French game and we're really, really trying to build back up from that game, we've taken away a few things and we're looking strong for the RAF."

It is the first time the Navy v RAF Inter Service fixture will be held at the Cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens, the home of Northampton Saints, after years of the game being held at Brickfields Stadium in Plymouth.

Last year, it was the Navy who barely edged the RAF with a single-point win.

Head coach, Chief Petty Officer Dave Pascoe, admits the team has had a "mixed season" in terms of results but is hoping for a competitive showing against the RAF.

He said: "We've had a mixed season to be honest with our results, and the French [game] was a big blow, that last play of the game.

"But to be fair, we should've dealt with that game way earlier on and we shouldn't have been in that position at the end of it.

"We had a very good game against the Police where we managed to score a load of tries, which was exciting for us because we've not put that team away.

"But again, it comes down to this cup final where Inter Service is just a different sort of brand or style of rugby, it is everyone's cup final, so we're expecting a full competitive game on Saturday."

Find out how to watch and follow all the Inter Services games here.