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Lerwill Cup 2023
Lt Col Matt Baylis
THE 23RD LERWILL CUP took place in Paris,with Ecole de Guerre facing ACSC 26. Combining the cerebral with the physical, ACSC’s debate team and rugby team both travelled to Paris. The debate provided a suitably friendly warm up, with mixed Ecole de Guerre/ACSC teams going head to head. Brandon Tan, Eduardo Moreno, and the Journal’s own Rebecca Sharp argued it out on stage with their French counterparts whilst of the prize-winning team, Andrée-Ann Melancon, Guy Lefroy, and Oli de Silva toiled behind the scenes as researchers. The French debaters may have benefitted from professional coaching, but Brandon stole the show, unanimously
voted debater of the night by the professional judges. On then to the much anticipated physical clash!
Ecole de Guerre vs ACSC 26. 0-32 (Tries: Lambert, Whitaker (2), Friend (2), Burrows. Conv: Lambert. Bookings (Yellow): Sayer, Lewis).
Pre-Match. With an average age comfortably over 40, at first glance ACSC’s offering to the 23rd Lerwill
Cup risked looking less like the exhibition rugby of two proud sporting War Colleges and more like ‘The Expendables.’ In fact, this was also backed up by a closer examination; to minimise risk of injury, an early decision was made to go light on ‘contact’ training and invest instead in touch rugby and a highly experienced surgeon
– aka Surg Cdr Dan “the Defib” Henning RN. With hindsight, this decision by
the team’s leadership – Lt Cols Alex Whitaker YORKS (Capt) and Dave Lambert AAC (Vice) – as with their actions on the pitch, turned out to be inspired. Of course, “inspired” is a strong term and surely warrants a crate of beer, or better. But it is worth remembering that ACSC’s squad of 23 was actually only 21 (a couple of whom may have had a few question marks over them – haunted by the spectre of serious (re) injury and/or angry spouses – you know who you are!), and they faced at least 30+ finely tuned Frenchmen and a crowd of over 200. And of that 21, those who dominate the ‘land’ numbered less than half (10), whilst those of the sea and sky together made up the majority (4 and 7 respectively).
But, as Napoleon once may (or may not) have remarked, it is not enough for a commander to be good, you must also be lucky. And luck shone on the ACSC team throughout the warm-up and
the match, largely from behind a thick,
dark cloud which spared many a man from Shrivenham from spontaneous combustion; conditions favoured the unacclimatised.
Both sides played the game in the
spirit that the rugby gods would have intended. Full of verve, swerve, vigour and vim. It lasted about ten minutes. After which it was still 0-0 and both sides were blowing. Whilst ACSC had listened to Lambert and Whitaker’s pre-match pep talk of playing fast, free-flowing rugby, it wasn’t really
what a bunch of old vets/retirees wanted to hear. Fortunately, the “5 eyes community” didn’t care. Maj Justin Raab (US Rangers) and Wg Cdr Greg Zweng (RCAF) dominated the front row throughout the match. Meanwhile a svelte back row comprising of Captain Lt Col Whitaker, Wg Cdr Matt Williams
and pick of the bunch, Lt Cdr Josh “No- one’s” Friend RAN blew holes in the French backline with fast, aggressive running. However, French resistance was tough with no lack of commitment. The differences between the two sides in those opening exchanges were mainly unforced errors from the French – in particular their sliced kicks for territory seemed to pen them in which, combined with clunky lineouts, meant ACSC kept the pressure on.
Particular mention also goes to Dave “the Swan” Lambert who, a number of times in those opening exchanges, and later in the match, cut a silky line through the initial French defence, gliding his way towards the try line. Appropriately then, after 15mins it was Lambert that scored the first try after the forwards had camped in the
“...as Napoleon once may (or
may not) have remarked, it is not enough for a commander to be good, you must also be lucky.