Page 51 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 49
This year has seen little action in regards to regimental rugby due to the demands of the Training Year and other com- mitments, but this has not stopped individuals from the Regi- ment performing exceptionally well at Corps and Army level. We have managed to provide a decent Royal Lancer represen- tation at Corps level during a very impressive unbeaten season for the team, which now looks likely to make it to the Corps finals. We have also had success at Army level with Trooper Foster, B Squadron, attending the Under-23s Army Academy trials and then being called up to the team to compete in the Tri-Service Competition where he performed extremely well. In the future Corporal Marsden, A Squadron, has been recognised by the Army selectors and asked to attend the open trials for the senior Army Team, and we wish him good luck. So, although it has been a slow year at Regimental level (notwithstanding the riveting inter-squadron sevens championships), which we plan to rectify next season, there have been some outstanding indi- vidual accomplishments.
As always, even in a year where the team has commitments else- where, it is important to form relationships with other rugby organisations to strengthen our own standing. Such an oppor- tunity arose at Easter this year when I was approached by the Woman’s England Rugby Football Union and asked to organise and host a training camp for their development team. Nearly 50 players and coaching staff attended the four-day camp. This started with a fitness test, something very similar to our own basic fitness tests, however with an abundance of technology and analysis (perhaps something we can learn from); like something out of a sci-fi film. Once completed, the women were shown around camp and more importantly their accommodation. I could tell by their reaction that the transit accommodation pro- vided was exactly what they were used to and there were groans and screams of joy in equal measure as I left them to settle in.
The next three days where split into morning and afternoon ses- sions. These sessions were run by some of the top coaches in the country. Corporal Marsden and I helped out in any way possible, whether that be with the usual ‘G4’ or actually getting involved with the coaching and gaining valuable experience from very qualified professionals. The level of rugby displayed was – as ex-
pected – at a very high standard, with a level of intensity and ag- gression that would put many of our own team to shame. Put it this way, you would not have got me on that pitch against them. It was not all fighting and shouting, a lot of time was spent in the evening in group discussions and presentations about the Rugby Football Union’s values and standards and what it takes to be a team player. Surprisingly, the camp began to look a bit like a Regimental annual training camp with rugby replacing field-craft. In fact, there were a lot of similarities both in struc- ture and training content – particularly in Values and Standards – and this was discussed long into the evening nights over a beer, of course.
This was by far one of the best experiences I have had in regards to rugby and we hope to repeat it again in the future, forming a relationship between ourselves and the Rugby Football Un- ion that will hopefully rub-off on our team. The mutual coach- ing staff have already agreed to holding a two-day concentrated training package with our team when we prepare for next season. With that and the prospect of the well-known Akrotiri Sevens’ Championships on the horizon...2018 could be the year of a Royal Lancer’s Rugby renaissance.
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Trooper Foster donning his Army strip