Tour summary: Defence Blacks in Europe and the UK

The New Zealand Defence Force rugby team known as the Defence Blacks recently returned from their successful tour winning five of eight games and playing an open exciting brand of running rugby.

In Europe the team were involved in several World War One commemorative services including one to honour Sgt Dave Gallaher the captain of the 1905 All Blacks “Originals”. The team proudly wore replica 1917 jerseys for the games in Europe.

They won their first game against a French Pacific XV 54-0 at Jean Bouin Stadium before travelling to Belgium to play the national side who were in the middle of their European Cup competition. After a fast start the Defence Blacks scored two tries to lead 21-13 at the break. Belgium dominated the third quarter of the game and hit the front 25-21 with 15 minutes to go but the visitors managed to find their second wind to cover the length of the field and score to take the lead and close out the game with good defence and a 28-25 victory.

The team was based in Portsmouth for their pool in the International Defence Force Rugby Competition, basically a World Cup for the military. The opening game against Japan was won 55-0 before the Defence Blacks notched up an excellent win over the Royal Navy, one of the tournament favourites, 34-24. The forwards were under pressure at the set piece but worked well around the park and the backs were dangerous throughout.

This qualified the team for the quarter-finals but they still had Fiji left in the pool who were also unbeaten. Fiji started well and raced out to a 22-6 halftime lead through strong running around the fringes. The score wouldn’t change until Fiji dotted down with time almost up for a 32-6 win. With several forward packs as big and mobile as the Fijians the Defence Blacks would have to be creative to compete from here on in.

The quarter-final was against the top qualifier from Pool A, Tonga. They had beaten the inter-service champion Royal Air Force team in their pool and also knocked the kiwis out of the 2011 tournament.

With a free flowing game and parity at the set piece the Defence Blacks scored some excellent team tries, seven in total to win 45-8 after going in at the break 17-3 up. Our Aussie cousins went down to Fiji 62-8, the French beat the Royal Air Force 29-13 and the British Army beat South Africa 54-17 to round out the semi-finalists.

This took them to the Twickenham Stoop for the semi-final against the reigning champion British Army team boasting several professionals and an England international.

The Defence Blacks were on the back foot from the start but hung in the game until a try right out halftime blew the score out to 30-10. The team dug deep and were reward with an excellent try out wide and spent most of the second half down 33-15 before the British Army scored with time up for a final score of 40-15. Fiji beat France 35-12 in the other semi.

The team had a few days to get over the disappointment of the loss before the playoff for third and fourth against France. As with Fiji and the British Army the French pack dominated the set-piece but the Defence Blacks stayed in the game attacking from everywhere and linking well as a team. After a being down 13-9 at halftime the Defence Blacks led 19-16 before a late try, followed by a drop goal saw them needing a converted try to win. They attacked the French line repeatedly in the last five minutes but despite some dubious calls and near misses they couldn’t breach it losing 24-19.

Fourth place out of 12 teams for a small Defence Force with only amateur players was a good effort although the team certainly is looking to continue improving and do better next time around. Fielding Yellows first five Ben Wyness top scored with 91 points for the tour.

Fiji beat the British Army 30-10 in the final.