Page 157 - Mind, Body & Spirit Number 104 2020/21

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OSV Canada 2016 Rocky Apostle
new Sports Dinner. The RAPTC Sports Dinner remains in place today and still takes place on the Friday evening prior to the Inter Services Army vs Navy game at Twickenham.
Rugby Tours
The Apostles have never been shy to tour and have created some fabulous memories for all involved. The tour committees have been very creative over the years and have put in a tremendous amount of work and effort to make these plans come to life. Brighton, Germany, Cyprus, Spain and Ireland would be included in the more ‘local’ places the club has toured. However, when the club sets its sights on a major overseas sports tour, they have found themselves on continents such as in Asia, Australia, and North America. Some of the key tours are mentioned below:
1993 – Hong Kong: This was the first major tour the APTC had been on and managed to win all three tour games against the flying kukri’s (Gurka Regt), BMH Hong Kong and the Resident Infantry Bn The Royal Regiment of Wales. Three young SIs on the tour were Geoff Chapman, Sheff Appleby and Ivan Down who were later to become the Corps front row and key members of the Corps Rugby heritage.
2003 – Australia: After a number of minor tours it was decided in 2001 that Australia would be the next major tour and so it was. Although due to the timing of the Tour our first game was against the Australian Defence Force (ADF) the equivalent of the Combined Services, which we lost 63 - 3. The 2nd game was against Combined Melbourne Universities which we drew 23 - 23. The final game was against the Australian Army Physical Training Corps which we won 28 - 21 with a try in the last 5 mins; a great end to a brilliant sunshine tour. In addition, on one of the ‘recovery days’ we got to see England beat Australia, in Australia, for the first time ever.
2016 – Canada (Rocky Apostle 1): The team was in a great place and the excitement of the clubs future was growing, so off they went to Canada and it would be safe to say no one would have been able to predict the events of this tour. Every day got better and better and better, and just when you thought we had peaked... it got better again. The team properly gelled and was forged into what is now the Apostles. They played a number of tough teams and produced some notable results of which everyone should be proud of, particularly in the Calgary 7’s when (perhaps an administrative over sight) saw the Corps team in the elite league playing the USA Collage All Stars. Now, we have some fast players, and probably a few who produce a good mile and half time BUT these American kids were RAPID. The team management have since lost the score card from that match!
2019 – Canada (Rocky Apostle 2): With the first OSV to Canada in 2016 being such a resounding success, the club went back... word had spread about the adventures of the first Canadian tour, the club had grown and the club was keen to keep the momentum going;
Apostles 2019
another hugely successful tour (this time without the Boocock AT team and their white water rescue antics – Apostles Williams, Oakes and Walsh are still receiving support from this ordeal).
Summary
Looking back through history it shows that we as a club have always had a great ethos, right from when the APTC first played in 1946 to the current day as the Apostles. We have always had players represent and support both Army and Inter Service level teams with these contributions helping keep our Corps team well furnished with talent on and off the field.
No matter the score at the final whistle we always walk off that pitch battered and bruised, but always with our heads held high and ready to bring the fight to our next match. From the beginning we have always been one club and one team in all aspects of our rugby. This is what makes the
Apostles what it is today and something any Apostle past and present can be proud of. When the Apostles ‘get it together’ we are as formidable a force as any other well- seasoned Corps or notable regimental rugby team; this is as true today as it was back at the start of our club in 1946.
This piece of work will continue to grow in the coming years; the Apostles rugby club welcome any additional information from RAPTCI’s past and present.
Strength and Honour.
Army Sports Awards 2019
RAPTC Association NW Branch dinner 2020 – Apostles past and present