Wikipedia

British Army Rugby League

The British Army Rugby League team is the official rugby league team representing the British Army. The team was founded in 1994 when the Army first recognised rugby league as an official sport and lifted a ban on it.[1] The new team was able to play in the Challenge Cup. The team play their home matches at Aldershot Military Stadium in Aldershot, Hampshire.[2] An Army women's team was set up in 2008.

British Army
Club information
Full nameBritish Army Rugby League
Nickname(s)Army
ColoursRed and white
Founded1994
Current details
Ground(s)
CompetitionChallenge Cup

History

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Historically, rugby league had been banned in the British Armed Forces due to the strength of rugby union and the Rugby Football Union's demands that anyone playing rugby league would be banned from playing rugby union.[3] During the Second World War, the Northern Command Sports Board (NCSB) held sympathy towards Northern soldiers who wished to play rugby league. They set up a number of matches between unofficial army representative teams and Northern clubs. This arrangement only lasted until the end of the war when the Army ended a relaxation on the ban and because the NCSB did not wish to try to challenge the primacy of the Army Rugby Union.[4]

The ban was lifted in 1994 following an announcement by the Armed Forces Minister Jeremy Hanley.[5][3] The new team was founded by Martin Coyd of the Royal Engineers.[6] Due to the wide array of British Army deployments worldwide, the British Army do not play in a league in the English rugby league system.[2] Occasionally they have players from the Army Rugby Union cross codes to play in their matches.[2]

As a result of the ban being lifted, the men's team became eligible to enter the Challenge Cup.[7] Initially in 1999, the Rugby Football League (RFL) were only going to allow the winners of the Inter-Services competition (which the Army won) to enter in the 2000 Challenge Cup but they were eventually persuaded that all three of the services teams were able to enter.[8] The team's best result was to reach the fourth round of the 2020 Challenge Cup,[9][10] the highest for a forces team since 2010 when the Royal Navy reached the third round.[11] However, none of the military teams took part in the 2021 Challenge Cup because the RFL decided that only professional Rugby League teams would be allowed to compete because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] In January 2022, the British Army were drawn against the Royal Navy in the Challenge Cup for the first time in the competition since their inaugural appearances.[13]

Women's team

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The Army women's team was established in 2008.[14] In 2014, they were named the Army Sports Team of the Year award at the Army Sports Awards.[15] They first entered the Women's Challenge Cup in 2014 where they lost 30–16 in the quarter-finals (second round) to Thatto Heath.[16] They reached the semi-final of the competition in 2016.[17] In 2017, they were finalists in the Challenge Shield, losing 26–24 to York City Knights.[18] In 2019, they faced York again in the final, but overcame them 40–4 to win the Challenge Shield.[1][19] In 2021, the women's team were members of the inaugural Super League South and reached the Grand Final.[20]

Wheelchair team

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The wheelchair rugby league team was established in 2019 and compete in inter-services competitions against the RAF and the Navy.[21][22] In October 2022, the team played Australia in a warm-up game for the 2021 World Cup.[23] In January 2024, the team played against the Wales national team as part of the preparations for Wales' US tour.[24]

Results

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Challenge Cup

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Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Round R3 R1 R2 R1 — R2 R2 R3 R3[25] R2
Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Round R3 — R2 R3 R2 R1[26] R1[27] R1[28] R3[29] R1[30]
Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Round R4[31] — R2[32] R1[33] R1[34]

Women's Challenge Cup

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Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Round R2[16] ? SF[17] R1[35] QF[36] R2[37] — — GS[38] — —

Women's league seasons

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Season League Play-offs
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos
2021 Super League South: Eastern Conference 4 3 0 1 168 66 6 1st Lost in Grand Final
2022 Super League South 5 3 0 2 150 140 6 3rd Lost in semi-final
2023 Super League South 5 3 0 2 152 108 6 3rd Lost in semi-final
2024 Southern Championship 6 2 0 4 150 202 4 3rd Forfeited semi-final[39]

Source:[40]

References

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  1. ^ a b "VE Day 75 and the bond between rugby league and the armed forces". Rugby-League.com. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Army's cup challenge". BBC Sport. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Nauright, John (2020). "9". Routledge Handbook of Global Sport. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781317500476.
  4. ^ Fanning, Sean (2013). Soldiers' League: The Story of Army Rugby League. London League Publications. pp. 264–265. ISBN 978-1-903659-69-4.
  5. ^ "Sporting Digest: Rugby League". The Independent. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. ^ "LEND LEASE'S MARTIN COYD WINS MAJOR RUGBY LEAGUE ACCOLADE AT WORLD CUP DINNER". Intouch Rugby Magazine. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Coral Challenge Cup round 4 – draw". London Skolars. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  8. ^ Fanning, Sean (2013). Soldiers' League: The Story of Army Rugby League. London League Publications. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-1-903659-69-4.
  9. ^ "British Army march on in Challenge Cup". LoveRugbyLeague. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Challenge Cup: Army Rugby League Fourth Round Opponent Confirmed". Forces Network. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  11. ^ Wilson, Andy (5 March 2010). "Royal Navy ready to break new ground against Blackpool in Challenge Cup". the Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Rugby League: Military Teams Ruled Out Of 2021 Challenge Cup". Forces Network. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  13. ^ "The Sportsman to Broadcast Historic Army vs Navy Betfred Challenge Cup Clash". 21 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Army are relishing Coral Women's Challenge Cup tie". Rugby-League.com. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Rugby League honoured at Army Sports Awards". Rugby-League.com. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Womens Round up". Rugby-League.com. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Womens Weekly Round up". Rugby-League.com. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  18. ^ Powell, Jennie (1 August 2017). "Bradford Bulls take the Challenge Cup and York City the Shield". Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  19. ^ "REPLAY | Army Rugby League 40-4 York City Knights | Women's Challenge Shield". Rugby-League.com. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Saints to face The Army in Betfred Women's Challenge Cup". Rugby-League.com. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Hull FC help form Army Wheelchair RL team". Rugby-League.com. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Wales Wheelchair to take on The Army". Wales Rugby League. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Wheelaroos take on Wales & Scotland in World Rankings clashes". European Rugby League. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  24. ^ "Cadair Olwyn | Wales 34 The Army 24". Wales Rugby League. 14 January 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  25. ^ "10-03-2008 - Lézignan, Pia et Toulouse qualifiés pour les 16ème de la Cup" [10-03-2008 - Lézignan, Pia and Toulouse qualify for the round of 16 of the Cup]. www.ffr13.com (in French). 10 March 2008. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008.
  26. ^ "Challenge Cup round-up". Rugby-League.com. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  27. ^ "Disappointment For Forces Sides In Challenge Cup". Forces.net. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  28. ^ "Challenge Cup: First Round wrap-up". Rugby-League.com. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  29. ^ "Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Round-up". Rugby-League.com. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  30. ^ "Coral Challenge Cup First Round wrap-up". Rugby-League.com. 26 January 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  31. ^ "Coral Challenge Cup Round Four round-up". Rugby-League.com. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Betfred Challenge Cup Round Two Round-Up". Rugby-League.com. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  33. ^ "Betfred Challenge Cup Round One Round-Up". Rugby-League.com. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Betfred Challenge Cup Round One Review". Rugby-League.com. 14 January 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  35. ^ "Bulls run riot in Women's Challenge Cup!". Rugby-League.com. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  36. ^ "Warriors to host Rhinos in Women's Challenge Cup semi-final". Rugby-League.com. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  37. ^ "Women's Rugby League Round-Up". Rugby-League.com. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  38. ^ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Quarter-finalists confirmed". Rugby-League.com. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  39. ^ "New captain but same expectations as Army women aim for 15th consecutive Inter Services title". Forces News. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  40. ^ "Match Centre". Rugby-League.com. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
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