The Royal Artillery (RA) claimed a double as they visited St Mary’s University for a Remembrance rugby event last Wednesday.
The men’s and women’s games followed a special commemorative service, and the event also made up part of the university’s 175th anniversary celebrations.
The guests took the women’s match 35-21 and then the men’s 38-24, and both sides hinted at the prospect of a repeat fixture further down the line.
Finley Pollard, St Mary’s men’s No. 8 and captain, said: “It’s an honour to captain the side for such an important day, remembering people who we’ve lost.
“Some of the boys in our team have military families so they were really proud to put on a shirt and use sport to honour that.”
All four teams attended the service outside the university’s chapel, before the women headed to the pitch for the afternoon’s first game.
It was a back and forth affair, but the Gunners pulled clear in the closing stages as St Mary’s legs began to tire, despite Amina Kazi’s hattrick of tries.
Zara Matthews, St Mary’s captain on the day, said: “I really loved it.
“They’re very fit, obviously being part of the army, and a couple of my girls were blowing a bit, me included.
“But I think if we turn a bit of our fitness up, we could have had them.”
England’s Rugby World Cup victory, secured with a 33-13 win over Canada at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium in September, shone a light on the women’s game.
That extra exposure is something Matthews is relishing.
She said: “Women’s rugby is growing so much and to have the women’s Royal Artillery come down is amazing.
“Especially with the crowd we had today, it really felt special.”
That sentiment was echoed by St Mary’s head of sport Andrew Reid-Smith.
He said: “It was really important that we had a women’s fixture.
“Obviously with England winning the recent rugby World Cup, it’s great for our team to get an opportunity to play against top-quality opposition.
“And I thought both sides played absolutely brilliantly, brought the best out in each other.”
Then it was the turn of the men and with the Gunners holding a noticeable size advantage, it may have seemed as if St Mary’s would be in for a tough 80 minutes.
However, the Twickenham students battled admirably.
The guests held the early advantage but ill-discipline almost cost them, as three yellow cards boosted the hosts’ hopes of an upset.
The large crowd sensed it and urged the team on as they narrowed the deficit to two at 24-26, but two late Gunners tries secured a 38-24 win and the clean sweep.
Gunners front-row Callum Varrall said: “Credit to St Mary’s, they put in a big shift and definitely brought the heat.
“I think we were expecting to come out here and kind of put it to them, but, yeah, fair play to them. Really enjoyable game.”
Prior to the event, the RA men’s squad visited the university for a shared training session on 8 September.
The St Mary’s team were then invited back for a dinner at the RA’s Larkhill Barracks the following day.
As they formed a huddle after the final whistle, the connection between the sides was clear as they joined together to sing.
Pollard said: “We’ve formed a really good bond.
“They introduced us to a tradition of theirs at the end, getting in a circle and singing a nice hymn. It was magical.”
Both parties are keen to grow the relationship in the coming years, too.
Indeed, plans are already being made for further matches.
Staff Sergeant Aiden Gill, RA club captain and men’s forwards coach, said: “It’s something that’s flourishing and something we should refuse to lose now.
“I don’t want to run before we’re walking with the first year, but we’d like this to become a permanent annual fixture.
“The notion that this might still be being played for St Mary’s 200th anniversary, that’s certainly the ambition.”
Featured image credit: Sarah McKenna-Ayres, Your St Mary’s
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