Lambert-Tony

When the Royal Navy Rugby Union was originally formed the founding fathers of the Union held a firm ideal that the game of rugby union could be played to better others.  They understood that being a contact sport, that relied on team work and respect to function, was significant and aligned to the requirements of the Naval Service.  Since then the linkage between rugby union and the military around the world has become fully established.  However what Tony Lambert has achieved, with his founding and running of the medics challenge, is to use rugby directly for the betterment of others.  Through money raised the match, now over 10 years old, has provided assistance and a focus for injured Service personnel returning from operational tours of duty.  The Heart of Oak members are a diverse group of rugby men and women from across the History of Navy Rugby but in nominating Tony to inducted there are few that have the same resonance with the earliest aims and goals of the newly formed Royal Navy Rugby Union.

Though never capped by the Royal Navy, Doc Lambert is a Navy Rugby man through and through.  He has long been a stalwart of Devonport Services both as a player and more recently as a coach of their colts.  He has always been active at Unit level and also representative level both as a player and as a 'Doc' and when he toured with the Navy his enthusiasm for life was evident to the full.  Many of the players who have represented the Union have been thankful for his professional services as a surgeon but it would probably be fair to say that at times his on-field 'bedside manner' was from the Ray Prosser school where even a broken leg should not stop you getting in the defencive line.

Geraint
November 2018

Click on the Image for an overview of the Medics Rugby Challenge to understand more fully the context of Tony Lambert's achievements with this flagship charity match.

Anthony was born and educated in Plymouth, where he currently works in the Defence Medical Group South West and Derriford Hospital.  He qualified from Charing Cross Hospital Medical School in 1985, during which time he joined the Royal Navy.  Now a Surgeon Commander, he has seen active service during the Iran – Iraq conflict, the first Gulf war, during the period of unrest in the former Yugoslavia (when he was the surgeon to a carrier task group) and Bosnia.  More recently has been deployed in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  One the old breed of general surgeons, Anthony maintained broad surgical skills to enable him to perform effectively when deployed and provide a sound general surgical opinion when in civilian practice.

Tony was awarded a Diploma in Sport and Exercise Medicine by the Joint Royal Colleges of Scotland in 1996 and a Master of Surgery from the University of Bath in 1998.  He passed his Intercollegiate Examination in 1999 and gained an MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine in 2008.  He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and a Member of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (UK).

Tony enjoys teaching and instructs at the Royal College of Surgeons on the Definitive Surgical Trauma Skills and Military Operational Surgical Training courses.  He is also an examiner at the Royal College.  Tony undertakes invited lectures and additional training roles when time allows.

Married to Ana, he has four grown up children.  A keen sportsman, Anthony played rugby until injury forced him to hang up his boots in 2007 but he continues to coach.  He was awarded an OBE for his charitable work and, through the Medics Rugby Challenge and the Royal Marines Charity, his support of our injured servicemen.