215:
give up playing for civilian clubs. In
November 1907 the press were invited to a luncheon where the formation of the Royal Navy Rugby Union was announced Upon formation the Royal Navy Rugby Union contained many players of international standard. In his book Rugby Football (and how to play it) WJA Davies makes reference to the same point made by Marshall and Tosswill and also makes reference to the formation of the Royal Navy Rugby Union in 1906 however, this chapter contains a number of inaccuracies and it is believed by many that WJA Davies chose the date from the season when the first capped Army Navy match was played, 1906/07. This may have been the source of subsequent confusion as the Royal Navy Rugby Union continued to advertise their formation as 1906 and there were a number of anniversary events over the years, particularly in 2006 when they celebrated their 'centenary' which included a match against the Barbarians FC. A second cause of confusion may have been that the match in February 1907 was a capped game but these caps were awarded retrospectively by the Royal Navy Rugby Union following a meeting held by the Royal Navy Rugby Union in August 1910. In 2006 a project was undertaken to investigate the History of Navy Rugby and this project uncovered the original minutes as well as various press reports detailing the formation of the Union. The project also had access to private correspondence from the time. In March 2018 the RNRU Executive Committee acknowledged that the evidence pointed to a formation date of November 1907 but decided that despite this they would still use 1906
288:
and Pam
Williams-Wilson qualified for their first cap.. In 2014 the qualifying criteria were altered and the Women were to be awarded their first cap after four Inter Service matches. The four matches had to be since 2009 and to include an appearance in IS2014 or later. This criterion left a couple of players in the hinterland between the old and the new criteria. After the 2014 match v the Royal Air Force Stacey Hargrave became the first to win her cap under the new criteria. The 2015 match against the Marine National Feminines was the first occasion that this game was considered a capped match. At the Annual General Meeting held in November 2017 the criteria were changed for a second time and the award of the Women's cap was brought in to alignment with the men's game. i.e. if you played in a capped game you received a cap without the requirement for any previous matches played. Like the previous change the amendment was not back dated.
246:
Fleet (this sentence is no longer valid as the ships no longer play for the max, midi or mini ships cups. These cup competitions were stopped in the early '90s ) and in the middle of
December there is the final of the RNRU Knockout Cup, open to all Establishments, Ships and Royal Marine Units. The Inverdale Trophy (formerly the Blakeney Cup) is named after a past Life Member of the Royal Navy Rugby Union Surg Capt Inverdale RN. It is competed for annually by the five Commands of the Fleet Air Arm, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Royal Marines and Scotland. The competition has enjoyed many formats and is currently competed for over a week for the right to be called RNRU Command Champions and the opportunity to represent the RNRU at an overseas tournament.
276:
267:
Zealand Navy missed the 2018 competition. The South
African Navy competed in 2006. The Royal Navy won the first 6 tournaments with the loss of only one match, to the Royal New Zealand Navy in the 2006 competition. In 2014 the Royal New Zealand Navy were crowned champions on home soil following a 37–10 win over the Royal Navy and a 26-5 win over their Australian counterparts. The last time the competition was played was in 2018 when it was reduced to a single match between the hosts, Royal Navy, and the Royal Australian Navy, which the RN won.
816:
390:
378:
366:
354:
342:
330:
134:
494:
466:
454:
442:
430:
418:
106:
85:
120:
27:
99:
263:
Royal Air Force annually since 1920 which is also the year that the Inter
Service Competition was inaugurated. The Royal Navy annually play the Irish Defence Forces and have done since 2002. The final annual cup match is against the French Navy, the Marine Nationale. The first match was played in 2005 and since 2011 the Royal Navy Rugby Union have awarded caps for this fixture.
201:, although a side representing the Royal Navy predates the formation of the union by at least twenty-eight years. The RNRU also has had a number of international players within its representative squads in all forms of the game. In 2011 the RNRU produced its first women's international as well as providing the captain of England VIIs.
287:
The Royal Navy Rugby Union started awarding caps from 2011 for the Women's XV with a qualification of six Inter
Service matches since 2008, the first player to be awarded a cap under this qualification rule was Vic Percival and at the same match Sophie Roseman, Emma Swinton, Sarah Simms, Sophy Hinds
266:
The
Commonwealth Navies Rugby Cup is a triennial competition that was first played in 1997 where it was held in the UK. Since then it has been played in Australia (twice), New Zealand and also South Africa. The Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy have competed in every competition. The Royal New
214:
to stimulate interest. The club quickly began performing strongly and gained an excellent reputation and equally strong fixture list. The appeal that had been sent out to all naval players to support
Service clubs had worked and a definite movement had been made to induce all officers in the Navy to
209:
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a number of service-based clubs existed but found it hard to gain support from service players, because it was considered necessary to turn out for civilian clubs to get first-class games. However, in 1902 the United
Services Recreation Ground began to give
291:
The RN(W) players compete for the Roger
Sherratt Trophy which is awarded to the member of the Royal Navy Women's Rugby Union Squad who is deemed to be the most valuable player of the season. This player will have shown strong leadership qualities both on and off the field, have provided a positive
262:
The Royal Navy Rugby Union Senior XV players annually for five cups as well as playing in the triennial Commonwealth Navies Rugby Cup. The longest cup competition is the annual Army Navy match which is held at Twickenham. The Unions first played each other in 1907. The Royal Navy has played the
245:
Aside from the Army-Navy match and the Inter Service Championship the various Navy Representative teams (1st XV, U23, Women and Veterans) play in a number of competitions during the season in both the fifteen and seven aside games. There are three knockout cups run exclusively for the ships of the
253:
and in honouring its role in the evolution of the game in England it has as a mission statement: "To promote, develop, administer and finance rugby football in the Royal Navy throughout the world in support of the Rugby Football Union". This is achieved by financing coaching seminars and courses;
300:
The Royal Navy Rugby Union first awarded caps for players of its Senior XV in their matches against the British Army. When the Royal Air Force formed the Inter Services competition in 1920 the Royal Navy Rugby Union also awarded caps for these matches. At the 2010 Annual General Meeting it was
283:
The RNRU does field a women's rugby side although in the women’s Inter-Service competition that was introduced in 2003 the Army have been the dominant side winning every title from 2003-2018. In 2019 the RAF Women won the title for the first time.
304:
The Royal Navy Rugby Union also award colours to members of their Referee Society on the first occasion that they either referee or are an assistant referee at a match involving the Senior XVs during the Inter Service competition.
301:
decided to award caps to the Senior XV's match against the French Navy, the Marine Nationale, and also for members of the Royal Navy Rugby Union's Women's team for their matches against the British Army and Royal Air Force.
113:
127:
92:
242:
reached the final at Twickenham, with New Zealand winning the encounter to lift the King's Cup. In 1920 the Army Navy competition was expanded to include the Royal Air Force.
230:, but it was not until 1907 that the match became an annual fixture as part of the Inter-Service Competition. In 1919, an Inter-Service Championship was arranged by the
842:
852:
837:
211:
667:
847:
292:
influence on the Squad and have displayed the attitude and bearing that epitomises the values of the Royal Navy Women Rugby Union Team.
759:
239:
319:
407:
370:
716:
483:
235:
254:
administrating the game, and officiating the games through the provision of referees and touch judges.
800:
Alligin Photography - largest collection of Navy Rugby Photographs and also some History of Navy Rugby
334:
275:
681:
234:, which included Service teams from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as a
617:
434:
730:
821:
238:
team and a British Army team playing under the name 'Mother Country'. The Mother Country and
142:
470:
250:
8:
223:
744:
763:
458:
231:
422:
227:
219:
198:
698:
382:
805:
831:
446:
394:
358:
346:
799:
190:
194:
519:
26:
498:
166:
788:
389:
377:
365:
353:
341:
329:
465:
453:
441:
429:
417:
55:
793:
589:
Army and Navy Gazette 11 November 1907 and other publications
493:
537:
564:
563:
Navy Rugby by Alligin Photography International Players
226:. The first of these matches took place in 1878 at the
197:. It fields a representative side that competes in the
811:
717:"Inter Services Rugby: RAF Women Win Historic Title"
682:"Navy Rugby Honours at www.alliginphotography.co.uk"
598:
Rugby Football (and how to play it) WJA Davies p. 44
674:
406:The following former RNRU players have represented
318:The following former RNRU players have represented
693:
691:
538:"The History of Navy Rugby by Alligin Photography"
189:) was formed in 1907 to administer the playing of
652:RNRURS appointment records retrieved January 2018
482:The following former RNRU player has represented
829:
703:The History of Navy Rugby by Alligin Photography
622:The History of Navy Rugby by Alligin Photography
542:The History of Navy Rugby by Alligin Photography
524:The History of Navy Rugby by Alligin Photography
47:HMS Temeraire, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 2HB
688:
218:The highlight of the RNRU season is the annual
279:Women's sevens team and coaching staff in 2017
212:United Services Portsmouth Rugby Football Club
313:
257:
554:Royal Navy Rugby Union Minutes December 1907
401:
520:"Presidents of the Royal Navy Rugby Union"
477:
843:1906 establishments in the United Kingdom
643:Minutes March 2018 retrieved October 2018
618:"Senior XV Capped Players – Alphabetical"
308:
39:(first known representative side in 1878)
853:Sports organizations established in 1906
757:
731:"Women XV Capped Players – Alphabetical"
662:
660:
658:
274:
838:Rugby union governing bodies in England
576:Francis Marshall, Leonard R. Tosswill,
830:
249:The RNRU is a Constituent Body of the
762:. Alligin Photography. Archived from
745:"Alligin Photography - Rugby Honours"
655:
848:Military sport in the United Kingdom
668:"Navy Rugby at www.royalnavy.mod.uk"
84:
580:, Cassell and Co., ltd., 1925, p378
295:
13:
14:
864:
782:
634:RNRU Minutes dated 28 August 1910
814:
492:
464:
452:
440:
428:
416:
388:
376:
364:
352:
340:
328:
270:
132:
125:
118:
111:
104:
97:
90:
83:
25:
751:
737:
723:
709:
646:
637:
628:
610:
607:4 April 2006 - match programme
601:
592:
583:
578:Football: the Rugby union game
570:
557:
548:
530:
512:
1:
505:
486:at full international level.
410:at full international level.
322:at full international level.
806:2010 Army v Navy Rugby Match
7:
236:Royal Air Force Rugby Union
10:
869:
314:Scotland internationalists
258:Senior XV Cup Competitions
204:
402:England internationalists
210:financial support to the
164:
159:
155:
75:
71:
61:
51:
43:
33:
24:
758:Ashton Jones, Geraint.
478:Wales internationalists
435:Arthur Leyland Harrison
802:- Very unofficial site
699:"The Commonwealth Cup"
565:http://navyrugby.co.uk
309:Notable former players
280:
183:Royal Navy Rugby Union
20:Royal Navy Rugby Union
822:United Kingdom portal
567:retrieved 30 Apr 2013
278:
67:Dave Pascoe (35 Caps)
251:Rugby Football Union
56:Admiral Sir Ben Key
21:
766:on 13 October 2012
760:"Caps and Colours"
281:
19:
179:
178:
151:
150:
860:
824:
819:
818:
817:
789:Official website
776:
775:
773:
771:
755:
749:
748:
741:
735:
734:
733:. 21 March 2013.
727:
721:
720:
713:
707:
706:
705:. 25 March 2013.
695:
686:
685:
678:
672:
671:
664:
653:
650:
644:
641:
635:
632:
626:
625:
624:. 21 March 2013.
614:
608:
605:
599:
596:
590:
587:
581:
574:
568:
561:
555:
552:
546:
545:
534:
528:
527:
526:. 25 March 2013.
516:
497:
496:
469:
468:
459:Norman Wodehouse
457:
456:
445:
444:
433:
432:
421:
420:
393:
392:
381:
380:
369:
368:
357:
356:
345:
344:
333:
332:
296:Caps and Colours
240:New Zealand Army
232:Army Rugby Union
175:
172:
170:
168:
160:Official website
136:
135:
129:
128:
122:
121:
115:
114:
108:
107:
101:
100:
94:
93:
87:
86:
77:
76:
64:
63:Most appearances
29:
22:
18:
868:
867:
863:
862:
861:
859:
858:
857:
828:
827:
820:
815:
813:
796:- Official site
794:Army Navy Match
785:
780:
779:
769:
767:
756:
752:
743:
742:
738:
729:
728:
724:
715:
714:
710:
697:
696:
689:
680:
679:
675:
666:
665:
656:
651:
647:
642:
638:
633:
629:
616:
615:
611:
606:
602:
597:
593:
588:
584:
575:
571:
562:
558:
553:
549:
536:
535:
531:
518:
517:
513:
508:
503:
491:
480:
475:
463:
451:
439:
427:
415:
404:
399:
387:
375:
363:
351:
339:
327:
316:
311:
298:
273:
260:
228:Kennington Oval
220:Army Navy Match
207:
199:Army Navy Match
169:.navyrugbyunion
165:
147:
146:
138:
137:
133:
130:
126:
123:
119:
116:
112:
109:
105:
102:
98:
95:
91:
88:
62:
38:
17:
12:
11:
5:
866:
856:
855:
850:
845:
840:
826:
825:
810:
809:
803:
797:
791:
784:
783:External links
781:
778:
777:
750:
736:
722:
708:
687:
673:
654:
645:
636:
627:
609:
600:
591:
582:
569:
556:
547:
529:
510:
509:
507:
504:
502:
501:
488:
479:
476:
474:
473:
461:
449:
437:
425:
412:
403:
400:
398:
397:
385:
383:Alec Valentine
373:
361:
349:
337:
324:
315:
312:
310:
307:
297:
294:
272:
269:
259:
256:
206:
203:
177:
176:
162:
161:
157:
156:
153:
152:
149:
148:
139:
131:
124:
117:
110:
103:
96:
89:
82:
81:
80:
73:
72:
69:
68:
65:
59:
58:
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
865:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
835:
833:
823:
812:
807:
804:
801:
798:
795:
792:
790:
787:
786:
765:
761:
754:
746:
740:
732:
726:
718:
712:
704:
700:
694:
692:
683:
677:
669:
663:
661:
659:
649:
640:
631:
623:
619:
613:
604:
595:
586:
579:
573:
566:
560:
551:
543:
539:
533:
525:
521:
515:
511:
500:
495:
490:
489:
487:
485:
472:
467:
462:
460:
455:
450:
448:
447:Cecil Kershaw
443:
438:
436:
431:
426:
424:
419:
414:
413:
411:
409:
396:
395:Alpin Thomson
391:
386:
384:
379:
374:
372:
371:Tremayne Rodd
367:
362:
360:
359:Wilf Crawford
355:
350:
348:
347:Drummond Ford
343:
338:
336:
331:
326:
325:
323:
321:
306:
302:
293:
289:
285:
277:
271:Women's rugby
268:
264:
255:
252:
247:
243:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
216:
213:
202:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
174:
163:
158:
154:
145:
144:
79:
78:
74:
70:
66:
60:
57:
54:
50:
46:
42:
36:
32:
28:
23:
768:. Retrieved
764:the original
753:
739:
725:
711:
702:
676:
648:
639:
630:
621:
612:
603:
594:
585:
577:
572:
559:
550:
541:
532:
523:
514:
481:
471:Thomas Woods
405:
317:
303:
299:
290:
286:
282:
265:
261:
248:
244:
217:
208:
186:
182:
180:
140:
423:Dave Davies
335:Bobby Clark
191:rugby union
832:Categories
506:References
224:Twickenham
195:Royal Navy
16:Rugby team
808:- YouTube
770:6 October
499:Dewi Bebb
52:President
320:Scotland
222:held at
44:Location
408:England
205:History
193:in the
34:Founded
484:Wales
141:Team
37:1907
772:2012
187:RNRU
181:The
173:.uk
171:.co
167:www
143:kit
834::
701:.
690:^
657:^
620:.
540:.
522:.
774:.
747:.
719:.
684:.
670:.
544:.
185:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)
