The British Army women’s rugby union team have been crowned Inter Service Champions once again after a hard-fought 52-12 victory over the Royal Air Force women’s rugby union team at Kingsholm Stadium. Despite the scoreline, the match was far more competitive than it appears, with the RAF producing a determined and physical performance that tested the Army throughout.
The RAF made the perfect start, striking early when number eight Ella Johnson powered over for the opening try, with Daisy Fahey adding the conversion to give the Light Blues an early lead. The Army responded quickly, applying sustained pressure inside the RAF 22, and after a well-executed offload from skipper Jade Mullen, Courtney Pursglove finished clinically to bring the Army onto the scoreboard. Pursglove was unable to add the conversion, leaving the RAF narrowly ahead.
Momentum continued to shift in a tightly contested opening spell, with Johnson crossing for her second try to restore an RAF advantage at 12-5. The Army were forced to work through phases against a resilient defensive effort, but they eventually found their rhythm. Mullen broke through to level the match at 12-12 after 15 minutes of stalemate, before striking again just before half time with a second try under the posts to send the Army into the break leading 19-12.
The second half saw the Army assert greater control, although the RAF continued to compete strongly at the breakdown and in defence. Early pressure from the Light Blues included a threatening break from skipper Lucy Nye, but the Army defence held firm, with Pursglove helping to shut down the attack.
Once the Army built momentum, their attacking quality began to show. Inside centre Lou Dodd and outside centre Meg Griffiths both crossed within minutes of each other, with Pursglove adding the extras to extend the lead to 33-12. From there, the Army began to pull away, with Mullen again linking play effectively before setting up Pursglove for her second try of the match.
The impact from the bench proved decisive in the closing stages. Substitute India King made an immediate impression, scoring twice in quick succession under the posts as the Army’s pace and accuracy in the final third proved too much for the tiring RAF defence.
As the final whistle sounded, the British Army women’s rugby union team confirmed their dominance in the Inter Service Championship with a 52-12 win, securing another title in front of a strong crowd at Kingsholm. Army tighthead prop Sophie Benavent was named Player of the Match, capping a complete team performance built on resilience, structure and attacking precision.
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FULL MATCH © JPF Sports Media
