Army Rugby Union History & Statistics

1906-1909

Founding the Army Rugby Union 1906

The idea of forming the Army Rugby Union, came to Lieutenant JEC Partridge (Welch Regiment), 'The Bird' or 'Birdie' as he was affectionately known, whilst he was reading a newspaper on a train during a tour of Scotland with Blackheath RFC in the season 1905-06. He proposed his idea to his two travelling companions and team mates, Lieutenant WSD Craven (Royal Field Artillery ) and Lieutenant (later General Sir Clive) CG Liddell (Leicestershire Regiment), who supported it.

At a meeting held on 12 November 1906 it was decided to form an Army Rugby Union (ARU). Captain REG Waymouth was appointed Hon Secretary and was charged with writing to the Army Council to obtain sanction for its formation. Approval was duly given on 31 December 1906.

On 10 August 1907, Field Marshal, the Duke of Connaught consented to be the first President of the ARU.

Inaugural Army Cup Competition 1907

2nd Bn West Riding Regiment DWR first winners of the Army Cup 1907
Back row: Finnigan, Swift, Robinson, Thompson, Garside, Martin, Flahery
Middle row: Egerton, Ramsden, Gillgallon, Denton, Curtis, Goddings, G Lister
Front row: J Lister, Brown (Thompson did not play in the final)
(Photo: ARU)

On 21 January 1907, the Rugby Union donated to the Army a handsome cup for an inter-unit competition. Twelve teams responded to the call for entries. The final took place on 6 April 1907 at Aldershot between the 2nd Bn West Riding Regiment DWR and the Training Battalion, Royal Engineers; the Yorkshire men won 5-0. The trophy was presented by General Sir John French.

Army XV French Tour 1909

Army XV at the Slade Bordelais Université Club, France- 7 February 1909.
The Army won 9-6. Major JEC 'Birdie' Partridge (Welch Regiment) can be seen holding the ball.
(Photo: ARU)

In the early days of the ARU matches were arranged against overseas sides, for instance on 28 October 1908 a combined Army Navy side played the Australians, who won the match 8-6. At about the same time the ARU accepted an invitation to play the Slade Bordelais Université Club, France.

1910-1919

2nd Bn Gloucester Regiment Army Cup winners 1910

Army Cup final 1910 played at Twickenham
Cpl James of the Gloucesters performing the extraordinary acrobatic feat of scoring the winning try in the dying minutes of extra time.
(Photo: ARU)

The 1910 Army Cup final was played at Twickenham before the then Prince of Wales, later King George V. The final was between 2nd Bn Gloucester Regiment (3) and 1st Bn Leicestershire Regiment (0). At the end of the second half the scores were nil nil but in the extra time Cpl James (Gloucesters), the tallest man on the field, hurled himself at the touchline. He was tackled by a a Leicester man, who brought him down on his head, but somehow he managed to ground the ball and so won the Cup. The photograph above depicts that acrobatic feat!

Army Rugby Cup 1910 winners medal - The medal was awarded to H Freeman
(Photo: Daniel Brinson)

2n Bn The Welch Regiment Army - Cup Winners 1913

The 2n Bn The Welch Regiment winners of the Army Cup and Aldershot Command Cup 1913
Back row: Bristowe, Fisher, Garrington, Jones, Murphy, Thomas, Bagnall, Howe, Daley
Seated: Jones, Davies, Gransmore, Lacey (Capt), Partridge, Daniel, Baker, Foreman
Front: Edwards, Secombe
(Photo: ARU)

In 1913 the 2n Bn The Welch Regiment won both the Army Cup and the Aldershot Command Cup, they beat the Gloucestershire Regiment 9-3 in the Army Cup final. Among its players was Major JEC 'Birdie' Partridge (Welch Regiment), the founder of the Army Rugby Union.

Army v Navy Match 1914

The Army and Navy teams cheering King George V at Queens - 1914.
The Army Team are wearing the white shorts.
(Photo: ARU)

The two great protagonists cheering The King at Queens at the last of the matches to be played before the First World War (1914-18). The Army won 26-14. The matches were not to resume until 1920.

1920-1929

2n Bn The Welch Regiment Army - Cup Winners 1920

The 2n Bn The Welch Regiment winners of the Army Cup 1920
Back row: Lane, Beynon, Price, Markin, Gransmore, Lawler, unknown, Payne
Seated: Phillips, Dunn, Jones, Lindsey-Brabazon (capt), Daniel, Morgan, Payne
(Photo: ARU)

The Army Cup Competition was re-introduced, as normality returned after the carnage of the First World War (1914-18), which did for many of the pre-war players and brought the activities of the ARU to a stand-still, in the season 1920-21. The pre-war title holders 2nd Bn West Riding Regiment (DWR) hardly featured in the Competition and took some years to recover their rugger form. The Army Final was between 2nd Bn Welch Regiment and 2nd Life Guards and was won by the Welshmen 9-0.

King George V meets the Army XV 1921

King George V meeting the Army XV just before the Army v Navy match at Twickenham 1921.
(Photo: ARU)

This was the second match to be played after the First World War (1914-18) and the defending title holders, the Royal Navy won the match 11-10.

In the previous season the honour of representing the British Army was extended to all ranks, allowing the opportunity for CSMI CW 'Charlie' Jones (Welch Regiment and Welsh International), a forward of outstanding ability, to be the first other rank to be awarded an Army cap. Between 1920 and 1923 he was awarded 7 Army caps and represented the Army against the Royal Navy (x 3), RAF (x 2) and French Army (x 2). He went on to represent Wales against England, Scotland and France.

In 1920 the Inter-Services Competition was extended to include the newly formed Royal Air Force (RAF).

1930-1939

Army v Navy 1930

Army v Navy 1930.
(Photo: ARU)

The Army Navy match of 1930 was won by the Army 16-10. In the first few minutes of the match JM Rice-Evans (Royal Welch Fusiliers) gave the Army a lead with a good try and further tries were soon added by Rew (RTC), Sir JC Devitt (Seaforths) and JR Cole, two were converted by DH Nott (Worcestershire Regiment). G Townend had a splendid game as a front row. He led a forward rush that resulted in Rew gathered the ball and scoring. C Webb (Royal Navy and English International) bulldozed himself over the line for a Navy try and D St Clair Ford also scored, both converted by WD Luddington.

ARU Artefacts

Army XV v French Army XV 1931

Army XV (21) v French Army XV (12) - 1931 - Twickenham
(Photo: ARU)

The regular playing of matches against the French Army began after the First World War (1914-18). In the period 1920-31 11 matches were played of which 7 were won and one was drawn by the British Army. In the period 1947-59, the fortunes of the British Army were reversed because out of the 13 matches played they only managed to win three of them.

1940-1949

Army XV v French Army XV 1940

Army XV Team 1940
Back row: Waklan, Debon, Edwards, Unwin, Huskisson, Horsburg, C Gadney (Referee), Duff
Middle row (seated): Davies, Jenkins, Sayers, Wooller, Reynolds, Travers
Front row: Guest, Prescott, Walker, Ellis
(Photo: ARU)

This team played against the French Army in Paris on 24 February 1940 in the twilight of the 'phoney war' period. They beat the French 36-3. This was probably the last match to be played before the fighting began. However, after 1942 rugby at home played its part in maintaining national morale when a number of Service International matches, with teams drawn from Servicemen, were played at a variety of venues across the British Isles. The matches were played between teams representing England, Scotland and Wales and aroused immense interest among the general public so were continued until the end of the war.

Rugby at Stalag 7A - Moosburg, Bavaria, Germany

Stalag 7a Rugby Team 1942
(Photo: Windsor Williams)

Although the activities of the ARU were suspended for the duration of the Second World War (1939-45) it is gratifying to note that in spite of the restrictions imposed by their captors rugby was played in the German Prisoner of War (POW) camps. This photograph is from Windsor Williams' (POW Number 6479) collection. He was serving with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps when he was captured on Crete in June 1941 and spent the rest of the war in Stalag 7A and Stalag 8B in Germany.

Training Establishment, RAMC - Army Cup winners 1947

Training Establishment RAMC winners of the Army Cup 1947
Back row: Verney, Marsh, Watt, Rees, Rowlands, Richmond, Kirk, Houghton, Smart, Forshaw, Godsell
Seated: Kindon, Goulden, Gegory, FM The Viscount Montgomery, Mathews (capt), Glyn-Hughes, Mackie, Robbins, Costello
Front: Scott, Davies, Pearce, Dewsnip
(Photo: ARU)

After the Second World War (1939-45), the Army Cup Competition resumed in the 1946-47 season and took in the newly formed British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). It was arranged that the Army Cup Final should be played between the winning teams from the UK and BAOR. The Training Establishment RAMC, which included three International players; JA Gregory (England) and J Matthews (Wales) and AGM Watt (Scotland), beat the 1st Training Regiment, Royal Signals 5-0 in the UK final. The BOAR Final was won by the 2nd Bn Welsh Guards. In the Army Final the Training Establishment RAMC beat the 2nd Bn Welsh Guards 10-3.

1950-1959

Army XV v French Army XV 1950

Army XV v Civil Service 1952

1960-1969

1st Bn King's Own Scottish Borders Army Cup winners 1960

1970-1979

Army XV v RAF XV 1974

Army XV Navy XV - Centenary Match 1978

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh with Andy Hoon (Royal Engineers - Army Team Captain) - meeting the team before the match.
(Photo: ARU)

The first Army Navy Match took place on 13th February 1878 between the Officers of the Army and the Officers of the Royal Navy at Kennington Oval. The Navy won the match by a goal and a try to a goal. The 1978 centenary match the Navy managed to repeat their victory of the first match by beating the Army 17-16. However, that year the Inter-Services Competition ended in a triple-tie.

1980-1989

7 Royal Horse Artillery Army Cup winners 1985

7 Royal Horse Artillery - Army Cup winners 1985
Back row:Day, Bradshaw, Vicary, Commander, King, Jubb, Holford, Sharples, Hill, Beenion, Charlton, Bogie.
Seated: Syems, Reese, Beazley, Buford, Ricahrds, Lewis, Farley, Gascoyne, Goglan
(Photo: ARU)

The Army Final for 1985 took place on a wet day in Aldershot the ball was very slippery, but the two teams the 7 Royal Horse Artillery and 1st Bn Royal Regiment of Wales were well matched. The 7 Royal Horse Artillery defeated the 1st Bn Royal Regiment of Wales 7-6 and realised a long held ambition when they got their name engraved on the Reference Section of the Army Cup for the first time. Their victory was a sign of things to come because they were to dominate the game in the coming decade winning the cup in the years 1990-93, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999.

1990-1999

Women's Rugby 1996

Army Women XV v RAF Women XV - 2001 DZ plus incoming (Photo: ARU)

Army Women XV v RAF Women Xv - 2001 Army women drive forward (Photo: ARU)

Women's rugby was officially recognised by the Army Rugby Union in 1996. In the 2000-2001 season the first match against the RAF women was played at Aldershot and in the following season a match was arranged against the Navy women. 2003 saw the introduction of a Women's Inter-Services competition.

2000 - 2006

Army Sevens 2001

Army Sevens win the Middlesex Sevens - 2001
Cup held high by H Graham (Coldstream Guards/AGC Team Captain)
(Photo: ARU)

The British Army Sevens team was formed on the initiative of three players sitting in a London hotel having just defeated the RAF to win the Inter Services Championship at Twickenham in April 1999. Captain Howard Graham (7 RHA) raised the question with Barbarians Sevens player Captain Brian Johnston (Royal Signals) and Lt Rob Abernethey (RGR). The team was first formed in 2000 to help England to prepare for the IRB Sevens.

ARU Centenary Season 2006-07

The Army Rugby Union's Centenary Season was officially opened at a dinner presided over by the ARU President, General Sir Richard Dannatt, at HM Tower of London on Monday 16 October 2006.