The PWR season has ended, but the rugby doesn’t stop with Army Rugby!

As another memorable PWR season drew to a close with Saracens producing a superb performance to lift the 2025/26 title, another successful season for Army Rugby Women had also recently concluded. While the competitions may be different, they highlight the many opportunities available for women to continue playing and developing in the game.

Army Rugby enables women to combine a military career with high-level rugby. From established PWR players and internationals to women who first discovered the sport after joining the Army, the programme brings together players from diverse backgrounds with a shared ambition to compete and represent their Service.

This season, 13 players earned their first Army caps before the squad retained the Inter-Services Championship with victories over the Royal Navy and the RAF. PWR players, including Lauren Brooks and Manuqalo Komaitai, were among those helping the Army secure another successful campaign (learn more about the Army's 2025/26 Inter-Services campaign keep scrolling!)

Beyond the results, Army Rugby provides players with high-quality coaching, competitive fixtures and the opportunity to represent the United Kingdom Armed Forces. For some, it complements an established PWR career; for others, it provides a pathway into elite club rugby.

As attention turns to the new JAECOO PWR season later this year, many Army players will return to their clubs with new experiences, skills and confidence gained through Army Rugby, another example of how the game continues to create opportunities on and off the pitch.

To learn more about Army Rugby Women and the opportunities available, visit the Army Rugby Union website or follow Army Rugby Women on Instagram.

Relive the Army’s 2026 Inter-Services campaign!

Since 2003, the Inter-Services (IS) has showcased women’s rugby within the Armed Forces. Every year, teams from the Navy, Army, and RAF battle it out to become IS champions. The Army were clear favourites for the 2026 IS Championship having triumphed over the last 4 years.

Coming into the 25/26 season there was a lot of change for the red shirts. The Army capped 13 new players, 9 of whom in their first ever IS match. The team was made up from a mix of regulars and reserves, with 20% of the final squad being reservists.

Army Rugby is unique. It brings together a range of experience, from those who are playing internationally and in PWR set ups, to those who are relatively new to the sport, or don’t have the opportunity to play rugby for a civilian club. These players are identified through trials, or stand out performances in the Army’s internal Corps league, where players of different job roles play against each other.

To best prepare for IS, the Army ran 9 training camps across the UK. Through the season they played championship teams including British Police, the Irish Defence Force, and the French Army. They also hosted Canada U21s in a physical encounter dominated by the Canadian side. The Army had a mixed bag of results, but the target was clear - take the learnings and make sure to win the IS.

The first game of the IS championship was RAF v Navy, with the RAF winning 36-7, setting out their marker early for their bid to beat the Army to the championship win. Next up, the Army played the Royal Navy at Allianz Twickenham Stadium. The Army won 78-0 in a dominant display, with PWR players Lauren Brooks and Manuqalo Komaitai amongst the try scorers.

All roads led to Kingsholm Stadium for the championship decider. Both sides were packed with quality players, including several from both teams playing across the PWR. It was the RAF that struck first but half time saw score of 19-12 in the Army’s favour. The Army came out guns blazing in the second half, refusing to let the RAF cross the try line again, and ultimately extending their lead to a final score 52-12.

The IS championship remains in the Army’s hands for another year, and the squad continue to search for the incremental improvements to make sure it stays that way into the future.

As the summer of 2026 approaches, some of the Army squad will be playing for the United Kingdom Armed Forces (UKAF) against North Select and England Students while some are switching codes to play league or sevens. Others will be looking to pre-season with their civilian clubs; some having been picked up by PWR teams off the back of the IS championship.