Sports Development Officer Dan Turner took a side from HMS Sultan up to the home of Army Sport in Aldershot for the event known as he Nav 9‘s. The format of the day was a 12-team, four-group competition played across the Aldershot facilities. HMS Sultan battled their way through to the Bowl Final taking on the Gunners from the Royal Artillery. In a hard-fought match with the lead swapping on every score it could have been anyone's game however Sultan held on to triumph 18-15 and bring home the silverware.

As a result of this performance HMS Sultan has been invited to take part in future Army competitions with the possibility of an Eastern Region team entering the 13 a side Lawson Cup, traditionally only contested by Army teams.

HMS Sultan continues to break new ground, creating more opportunities for Royal Navy personnel, at grass roots level and beyond, get onto the field of play and helping to grow Rugby League across the Service.

This success completes a great Spring season for Rugby at HMS Sultan with the Sultan RU side beating RAF Marham by 21-20 with a last minute penalty to take the Navy Cup under the lights at Burnaby Road.

Footnote: as alluded to above RNRL have played in the Army 9s once before way back in 1997 beating the Parachute Regiment 20-0 in the final. Led by Wayne Okell that victory went a long way to gaining recognition for Rugby League as a sport within the Royal Navy, the rest as they say is History!