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Robin Heymann

"To keep the British Army in the public eye through world class performances on the rugby field"

Not many would argue that when it comes to the Sevens arena the Army don’t live up to their mission statement. For the last nine or so years a dynasty has been built that has made the side a true powerhouse in our global game.

A brimming trophy cabinet is all the proof you need. Victories in Bangkok, Zambia, Cwmtawe, Kenya, Singapore, Roma, Newquay, and Bath have all been notched up in their perpetual quest to be the best.

Dispelling the myth

With their success however comes a certain mystique that can sometimes shroud the organisation.

Maybe it’s jealousy but there are people out there who often doubt the validity of some of the team’s representatives. With a large amount of Fijian players dominating their side over the years, questions and eyebrows from some parties have often been raised. Are these ‘ringers’? Are they actual serving soldiers?

Yet digging beneath the surface you quickly realise that this misconstrued attitude is a just a load of old tosh.

“We’re missing some key players today with five of our regulars deployed on Operations to Afghanistan in the Helmand,” said current captain Mark Lee at the recent Worthing Sevens.

Not quite the walk in the park that the odd ill-informed person associates with Army Rugby. Yet this is not an uncommon occurrence.

Back in 2001, for example, following the Army’s first ever triumph at the Middlesex Sevens, half of dozen of the side were due at Heathrow at 9.30 that night to return to active service, whilst another, Filipie Tawayaga, returned to the Kosovo/Macedonia border a couple of days later.

The high influx of Fijian based soldiers goes back to the 90s where the dwindling numbers of British recruits meant many of the Islanders joined to help stem the shortfall.

Graham et al make it happen

For those of you also thinking that an offical ‘Army Sevens’ team must have been round for donkeys years would be mistaken.

As is often the case when rugby chaps come up with the very best ideas, a concept of an Army 7s side was initiated at the bar in the aftermath of another memorable win over the Navy at the Inter Services Championship back in April 1999.

Captain Howard Graham (7 RHA) raised the question with Barbarians Sevens Captain Brian Johnston (Royal Signals) and Lt Rob Abernethey (RGR) who were both in agreement of the idea. Although there had been a history of military based teams participating in 7s, there had been nothing of an official nature.

The turnaround was rapid. With Graham, a former captain in the Parachutes regime, very much the pioneer it was just a year later when ‘representative Sevens’ was sanctioned. The caveat in those early days was that there would be no direct funding, forcing the side to bounty hunt in their inaugural years.

Army at Middlesex

They were soon making an impression however, especially on the RFU’s grand fromages who were suitably impressed with the Army’s performances against the England Sevens side in a number of training matches.

An invite to the Middlesex Sevens was quickly given and the slabs of a world famous Sevens institution were being laid. The Middlesex Sevens, rugby’s very own HQ, has provided some fond memories for the side over the last 10 years.

Last year saw them play some of their usual brand of exciting and seemingly effortless 7s, but ultimately the side came up just short against an excellent Harlequins side, 22-12, in the final.

Their first win however was back in 2001, the tournament’s 75th anniversary, masterminded by player of the tournament Graham. With the likes of Fijian star Apo Satala also prominent they put Newcastle Falcons to the sword 45-21 in a grand finale.

Three years later and they were at it again with Graham, Satala, and Epeli Qolikibua impressively outdoing an all-star Gloucester side that included James Simpson-Daniel and Henry Paul to take the 2004 crown.  One youngster who left his mark that day with a brace in the final was Isoa Damudamu.

International recognition

‘Damu’, as he is known, is an example of the platform Army rugby can provide for talented individuals to advance their rugby to an international stage.

Damu, a Fijian born private, was voted Army Player of the Year (2003) and is largely regarded as a 7s and 10s specialist who somehow kept under the radar of the normal beady eyes of Fiji’s rugby officials.

An opportunity to play for Newbury Blues also gave him a chance to collaborate with coach Ben Ryan. When Ryan took over as England Sevens coach soon after, Damu was swiftly brought into the set-up and has thrived in the international arena ever since, most recently resulting in a signing for Guinness Premiership side Wasps.

"If he's not the best Sevens player in the world at the moment, he's got to be in the top three," said coach Ryan in the build up to this year’s World Cup Sevens.

Another in a similar boat to Damu is the Royal Navy’s Josh Drauniniu who left home in Lautoka on the west coast of mainland Fiji aged 17 to sign up.

"I met a ship in Muscat in Oman, then went to Lebanon when the whole thing kicked off,” said Drauniniu.

"It was on HMS Bulwark, which is a landing platform deck, quite a big ship, and we had to get all these British citizens out of Lebanon and get them to Cyprus. It was a great experience that I learnt a lot from."

Successful spells at Exeter Chiefs led to an England Sevens call and at the end of last season saw a move to Harlequins.

They are not on their own. The likes of Graham went onto to play for England while Roko, Bulumakau, Naisaramaki, Satala, and Rawalai have received the honour of representing Fiji. The women are getting in on the act too recently, with Jane Leonard playing a valuable part in England’s recent win in the Euros in Hannover.

Moving on with Lee

Former Scottish Sevens skipper Mark Lee has taken over the reins recently and continues the great revolutionary strides made by Graham.

He has certainly led from the front of what’s turned out to be another successful season, their ninth year in operation.

Wins at Bath, Newquay, Worthing and at the Plate in Rome have arguably made them the UK’s top team on the elite circuit this summer and in pretty good shape for another assault at Middlesex.

With Apo Satala once again in irresistible form and with Lee and Gerhardt Wessells providing the backbone they are ones to watch.

Jim Vatubua – in the Damu mould with his languid and effortless running – proved the ideal impact man in Newquay with the lightening Samesi Rokoduguni always a threat. Middlesex Sevens beware, they are hungry for more success.

Winning on and off the pitch

Off the back off Drauniniu and Damudamu’s ascent, both the Army and Navy have been able to spin some decent PR for the Services which can only be positive in attracting possible new recruits.

The Army in particular have found, off the back of their team’s success, that Sevens can act as a marketing tool for the Army and even in some instances a recruitment source, which can only be a good thing.

The Army had a promotional stand at Bath Charity Sevens with a further presence at Newquay, with a desire to continue to do this in the future at events. With the Help for Heroes charity entering a team into Middlesex too, it’s nice too to see an appreciation of the military continue in rugby circles filtering down to Rugby Sevens.

With a continued emphasis to use Sevens as a platform to develop and nurture talent to push through to other rugby avenues, Army rugby seems in good health. Let’s hope as well as continuing to have a presence heavily on the UK circuit we can also see them take their place at more tournaments globally, to let others see the hard work that gets put in by Senior Team Manager Eddie Cullen and Head Coach Chris Brown.

For now though the short term goal is the Middlesex Sevens and Bath Rugby in the first round. I don’t think it would surprise anyone to see Mark Lee march his troops up those famous winners steps on August 15 to etch their history yet again into one of Rugby Sevens best loved traditions. UR7s salutes you boys.