The first Army Navy Match was played in 1878, but it was not until 1907 that a match between the two then existing armed services became an annual event. The 1907 match was played at the Queen’s Club and was won by the Royal Navy (15-14). The First World War (1914-18) brought an end to the fixture, but the Inter-Service Championship resumed after the war and included the newly formed Royal Air Force (RAF), formed in 1918. The Army Navy match was played at Twickenham, the home of the English Rugby Union, in 1920.

However, the clash between the senior teams of the British Army and the Royal Navy remains the highlight of the Championship. The Championship ceased for the duration of the Second World War (1935-45), but recommenced in 1946.

In the 1970’s the Championship was opened to sponsorship to defray the costs of the Championship. In recognition of this change a trophy was created for presentation to the Championship winners.

In 2003 the championship was extended to include competitions between women and veteran (over 35 years) teams from the three armed services.

The Army v RAF fixture for 2010 was cancelled. The Army XV were stuck in South Africa, where they were attending their training camp, because volcanic ash from Iceland prevented aircraft from flying over Europe.

The 2020 Inter Service competition was cancelled adhering to Government policy for social distancing following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Inter-Services Champions Table – 1920 onwards

Year Champions Army v RN Army v RAF RN v RAF
1920 Royal Navy RN 23-11 Army 21-6 RN 12-3
1921 Royal Navy RN 11-10 RAF 26-3 RN 33-3
1922 Royal Navy RN 7-3 Army 23-8 RN 9-6
1923 RAF RN 16-11 RAF 13-5 RAF 3-0
1924 Triple Tie Army 19-5 RAF 8-3 RN 16-9
1925 Army &RAF Army 11-8 Draw 6-6 RAF 3-0
1926 Army Army 24-10 Army 11-0 RN 8-3
1927 Royal Navy RN 6-3 Army 22-0 RN 8-3
1928 Army Army 11-5 Army 18-6 RN 5-0
1929 Army Army 17-11 Army 27-0 RN 8-3
1930 Army Army 16-10 Army 14-8 RN 8-3
1931 Royal Navy RN 6-0 RAF 16-5 RN 16-0
1932 Army Army 11-0 Army 21-4 RN 22-5
1933 Army Army 19-0 Army 12-3 RN 14-3
1934 Army Army 16-8 Army 14-3 RN 36-0
1935 Triple Tie Army 11-8 RAF 6-3 RN 13-8
1936 Army Army 12-3 Army 16-3 RAF 3-0
1937 Army Army 14-3 Army 29-9 Draw 3-3
1938 Royal Navy RN 10-9 Army 15-7 RN 10-6
1939 Royal Navy Draw 6-6 RAF 18-3 RN 8-3
1940-1945 No matches played due to the Second World War
1946 Army Army 11-6 Army 11-6 RAF 9-6
1947 RAF Army 19-11 RAF 8-0 Draw 5-5
1948 Triple Tie RN 9-8 Army 15-8 RAF 16-11
1949 Army &RAF Army 23-3 Draw 3-3 RAF 11-0
1950 Army Army 16-6 Army 11-3 Draw 6-6
1951 Royal Navy RN 11-0 Army 14-0 RN 6-5
1952 Army Army 11-3 Army 9-6 RN 6-0
1953 Army Army 3-0 Army 11-3 Draw 3-3
1954 Triple Tie RN 8-6 Army 16-3 RAF 12-6
1955 RAF RN 8-3 Draw 6-6 RAF 6-3
1956 Triple Tie Army 6-3 RAF 26-9 RN 11-9
1957 Army Army 6-3 Army 14-9 RN 8-6
1958 RAF RN 14-0 Draw 3-3 RAF 14-3
1959 RAF RN 6-0 RAF 11-3 RAF 12-9
1960 Army Army 12-3 Army 6-3 RN 8-0
1961 Royal Navy RN 6-3 RAF 19-11 RN 9-3
1962 RAF Army 9-6 RAF 19-14 RAF 12-6
1963 Army Army 11-3 Army 8-6 RAF 3-0
1964 Army Army 8-0 Army 19-6 RN 5-3
1965 Army Army 5-3 Draw 11-11 RN 15-6
1966 Royal Navy RN 10-9 RAF 12-3 RN 11-3
1967 Army Army 6-3 Army 17-6 RN 5-3
1968 Army Army 9-6 Draw 3-3 RN 17-15
1969 Army Draw 3-3 Army 26-21 RAF 9-5
1970 Royal Navy RN 15-9 RAF 15-12 RN 13-6
1971 RAF RN 11-9 Draw 6-6 RAF 17-6
1972 Army Army 13-3 Army 14-6 RN 18-4
1973 Royal Navy RN 10-7 Army 19-9 RN 15-0
1974 Royal Navy RN 25-3 RAF 9-4 RN 23-13
1975 Triple Tie RN 19-0 Army 41-13 RAF 20-7
1976 Army Army 15-6 Army 6-3 RN 21-13
1977 Royal Navy RN 16-0 Army 19-13 RN 15-9
1978 Triple Tie RN 17-16 Army 16-6 RAF 15-8
1979 RAF Army 10-3 RAF 10-3 RAF 23-6
1980 Army Draw 0-0 Army 26-7 RAF 16-7
1981 Royal Navy RN 7-3 Army 6-4 RN 15-12
1982 RAF Army 11-7 RAF 10-6 RAF 16-14
1983 Army Army 10-9 Army 16-7 RAF 8-4
1984 Triple Tie Army 13-6 RAF 15-9 RN 10-9
1985 RAF Army 11-6 RAF 15-12 RAF 29-23
1986 RAF RN 13-3 RAF 16-13 RAF
1987 Royal Navy RN 21-10 Draw 12-12 Navy 13-6
1988 Army Army 35-3 Army 26-3
1989 Army Army 21-9 Army 42-10
1990 Army Army 16-7 Army 32-14
1991 RAF Army 10-0 RAF 30-12 RAF
1992 Triple Tie Army 16-9 RAF 18-6 RN
1993 RAF Army 37-15 RAF 20-17 RAF 23-7
1994 RAF Army 18-6 RAF 28-22 RAF
1995 Royal Navy RN 34-17 Army 28-26 RN
1996 Triple Tie RN 9-6 Army 31-23 RAF
1997 Army Army 18-16 Draw 35-35
1998 Army Army 36-22 Army 23-7
1999 Army Army 24-12 Army 43-8
2000 Army Army 32-14 Army 13-11
2001 Royal Navy RN 31-20 Army 13-8 RN
2002 Army Army 18-13 Army 74-3
2003 Army Army 53-16 Army 52-13
2004 Army Army 32-16 Army 46-6
2005 Army Army 41-15 Army 55-12 RAF 24-16
2006 Army Army 9-3 Army 82-10 RN 34-6
2007 Army Army 39-25 Army 54-10 RN 57-3
2008 Army Army 22-11 Army 42-6 RN 67-12
2009 Army Army 50-7 Army 67-11 RN 34-20
2010 Royal Navy RN 24-22 No match played RN 73-3
2011 Army Army 44-10 Army 50-3 RN 52-3
2012 Army Army 48-9 Army 59-0 RN 13-6
2013 Army Army 43-26 Army 33-18 RN 55-26
2014 Army Army 30-17 Army 35-26 RN 10-0
2015 RAF Army 36-18 RAF 33-29 Draw 32-32
2016 Royal Navy Draw 29-29 RAF 13-12 RN 9-8
2017 Army Army 29-20 Army 35-14 RAF 16-14
2018 RAF Army 22-14 RAF 20-19 RAF 31-21
2019 Army Army 27-11 Army 49-3 RN 25-10
2020 No matches played due to Covid-19 pandemic
2021 No matches played due to Covid-19 pandemic
2022 Army Army 35-27 Army 35-20 RN 18-10
2023 Royal Navy RN 39-22 Army 48-17 Draw 13-13
2024 Army Army 43-42 Army 45-21 RN 25-24

Source
McLaren Lt Col J: The History of Army Rugby (Aldershot, The Army RFU, 1986)

A brief history of the Army Navy match can be seen at: www.wikipedia.org

Check out the new Army Navy Match web site at: www.armynavymatch.org.uk