GLENDALE, Colo. –
The 2024 Armed Forces Men’s Rugby 7s championship began its second day of competition with Army again dominating and clinching gold. Air Force was a close contender, taking silver.
This is the tenth consecutive Army championship win in matches they participated in.
Air Force opened the competition with a 36-12 win over Navy. Top scorer for Air Force with two tries was 1st Lt. Jordan Savage, based at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California.
Lt. jg Luke Bienstock, stationed at the Pentagon, scored both of Navy’s two tries.
Army hammered Coast Guard 35-5 and nailed all five conversions, ensuring a spot in the Armed Forces Championship match later in the day. They amassed four wins, including three from the first day of competition.
Marine Corps faced Air Force, with Marines making their one and only try at about a minute and a half. From that point on, Air Force dominated, with the final score 26-5.
Air Force’s match record of 3-1, put them on track for the championship match against unbeaten Army later in the day.
A light rain fell during most of the championship match as Army and Air Force took the pitch.
Army ruled the first half, with 1st Lt. Patrick Blair, from Joint Base Lewis-McChord making the first try.
The second try was from 2nd lt. Faleniko Spino, of U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii.
Air Force came on strong in the second half, with 2nd lt. Eric Wills of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, making the try. Air Force was the only team to make the conversion.
Both teams put on a stellar performance and at times, it looked like the match could go either way. However, Army held Air Force back from the try zone in the closing minutes and the final score was 10-7 with Army claiming the gold.
Army head coach Capt. Jacob Lachina, out of Fort Carson, Colorado, credits the win to “developing the man,” meaning having a strong culture and a strong system with rigorous training and high-level competitors.
Lachina also said he gives frequent pep talks to the players. For example, he might say “punch them in the mouth before they punch you in the mouth.” Not literally though, he added.
The Air Force really challenged the soldiers, he said, remarking “that it’s good to be challenged.”
Air Force head coach Lt. Col. Saleem Rasvi, from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, credits Air Force’s strong finish with a solid defensive line. The players, he said, are dedicated on and off the field.
Their motto, he said is BOS, which stands for brotherhood, ownership and service.
Both coaches noted that their teams could be further improved going forward by having a good recruiting program to find the right talent.
At the conclusion of the Armed Forces Championship awards ceremony, service members from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard lined up for the annual wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate Fallen Ruggers. With bagpipes playing in the background, team captains from each team laid rugby balls in front of wreaths.
Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon, took to the field to congratulate both teams and honor them and other service members for defending freedom.
The Air Force Parachute Team, “Wings of Blue,” dropped into the stadium, with each jumper carrying a different service flag.