FORT BENNING, GA - Rugby players from as far away as South Korea, Japan, Hawaii and Germany converged on Fort Benning Oct. 24 for a two-week All-Army rugby trial camp at Stewart-Watson Field.
Thirty-four hopefuls came to camp, but only 25 will represent the U.S. Army and compete in the Armed Forces Championship Monday through Friday at Stewart-Watson Field.
After playing in the Battleship Tournament in Mobile, Ala., Saturday, All-Army head coach Mike Stevenson said he will make the cuts.
"It'll be tough to decide who to cut," said Stevenson, who has coached All-Army rugby for 10 years. "The players are all highly motivated and fit. They are good rugby players and they give 110 percent all of the time."
The players' skills and abilities are diverse, said Stevenson, who is stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash.
"You have some guys who have been playing rugby their entire lives and other guys who have been playing for a year," he said.
The training camp includes two practices a day and a practice game on Saturdays.
The camp is intense to prepare the players for five games in four days at the Armed Forces Championship, Stevenson said.
"The practice games give you a better look at what you have," Stevenson said. "You get a look at the players' skills, reactions and way you are going to execute things."
SFC Noah Tupea, who is stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., has competed in the All-Army trial camp for 11 years and made the team seven times.
He said there is a better level of competition this year than in 2008.
SSG Josh Lashley, HHC, 3rd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, plays scrum half. He was one of the 25 Soldiers who made last year's team but didn't play because he broke his right hand.
"The amount of skill and experience here is unmatched with any group of players I have ever played with before," he said.
Lashley said it would be an honor to represent the Army.
"Any way that I can represent the United States Army is a privilege and to represent the Army against other armed forces is even better," he said.
The first game of the Armed Forces Championship is the Navy facing the Air Force at 10 a.m. Tuesday, followed by the Army taking on the Marines at 11:30 a.m. Spectators are welcome.
Armed Forces Championship schedule
Tuesday
Navy at Air Force, 10 a.m.
Army at Marines, 11:30 a.m.
Coast Guard at Navy, 1 p.m.
Air Force at Army, 2:30 p.m.
Marines at Coast Guard, 4 p.m.
Thursday
Marines at Navy, 10 a.m.
Coast Guard at Air Force, 11:30 a.m.
Navy at Army, 1 p.m.
Air Force at Marines, 2:30 p.m.
Army at Coast Guard, 4 p.m.
Friday
Consolation match, 10 a.m.
Championship match, noon
Awards ceremony, 1:30 p.m.
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