Army Green won the Escott Shield after defeating Navy at the final match held at Albert Park rugby ground on Saturday, 29 June 2019.
Despite the light showers, both teams performance indicated that they had prepared well to display their skills and capabilities to be the 2019 champion the coveted Escott Shield competition.
The army team put their first point on the board with a penalty kick from the 20-meter line in the second minute of the match following a Navy obstruction in the ruck. Army Green led 3 nil. Both teams assaulted their opponent’s defensive line according to their game plan. The strong attacks by the Navy team created the Army Green indiscipline where Navy was awarded a three pointer from a penalty kick. Navy 3 – Army Green 3.
Army Green managed to sneak through the Navy Defense on the 25th minute of the match and scored an unconverted try. Army Green led 8 – 3. Unfortunately, to the indiscipline from the Queen Elizabeth Barracks squad, the Navy team added points to their tally from two penalty kicks and an unconverted try. Navy led at the breather 14 points to 8.
Navy team captain, Ordinary Seaman Usamate Jitoko led his sailors in all phases of their assault to bread the Army Green defence in the second spell while the John Steward led team defended their territory in the first ten minutes of the second half. Navy received another penalty kick to add their points. Navy led 17 to 8. Army Green assaulted the Navy defence with maneuvering phases in the naval territory but the strong defence provided by the sailors denied them several opportunities to cross over the naval line. Army Green added points to their tally from a penalty kick on the 25th minute of the second spell following a Navy infringement for an indiscipline tackle. Navy led 17 to 11. Both team continued their manoeuvres in search for an opportunity to squeeze through a gap. Approximately 30 minutes of the second half Navy added points to their tally from another penalty kick. Navy maintained their lead 20 – Army 11.
The Army Green team managed to break through the Navy defence in the final quarter of the match and scored the try which was converted by Sapper Jeke Suguturaga. Navy maintained their lead 20 points to 18 until an infringement in the final minute of the match for tackling above the neck. Sapper Suguturaga successfully kicked the penalty to add the three pointer to their tally. Army won the match 21 points to 20.
LCPL Stewart stated that the match was quite tough as both teams represented the military rugby. He expressed his appreciation to the effort displayed by the sailors. “It was an honour to play a match that we had been preparing for, but I would like to thank my brothers in arms for the good game we had today”, Mr Stewart concluded.
The Chief Quest at the after match function, was the famous winger of the 1990 Fiji 7’s champion in Hong Kong, Mr. Tomasi Cama Senior. Also present to support their own respective teams was the Commander Navy, Captain Humphrey Tawake and the outgoing Commanding Officer (CO) Third Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Penioni Naliva.
