page_title: Royal Navy Rugby Union
section_title: Women's rugby
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Navy Rugby Union / Women's rugby
caption_attribution_description: 13 May 17 - Hartpury, Gloucestershire, England, UK. Rugby. Hartpury College 7s Competition. Royal Navy Rugby Union Senior Women's VII. The RN team was making history as the very first women's 7s representative side. Lots of good things with lots of potential. The future is Navy Blue.
context_page_description: The Royal Navy Rugby Union was formed in 1907 to administer the playing of rugby union in the Royal Navy. It fields a representative side that competes in the Army Navy Match, although a side representing the Royal Navy predates the formation of the union by twenty-eight years. The RNRU also has had a number of international players within its representative squads in all forms of the game. In 2011 the RNRU produced its first women's international as well as providing the captain of England VIIs.
context_section_description: The RNRU does field a women's rugby side although in the women’s Inter-Service competition that was introduced in 2003 the Army have been the dominant side winning every title from 2003-2018.  In 2019 the RAF Women won the title for the first time.
  The Royal Navy Rugby Union started awarding caps from 2011 for the Women's XV with a qualification of six Inter Service matches since 2008, the first player to be awarded a cap under this qualification rule was Vic Percival and at the same match Sophie Roseman, Emma Swinton, Sarah Simms, Sophy Hinds and Pam Williams-Wilson qualified for their first cap..  In 2014 the qualifying criteria was altered and the Women were to be awarded their first cap after four Inter Service matches.  The four matches had to be since 2009 and to include an appearance in IS2014 or later.  This criteria left a couple of players in the hinterland between the old and the new criteria.  After the 2014 match v the Royal Air Force Stacey Hargrave became the first to win her cap under the new criteria.  The 2015 match against the Marine National Feminines was the first occasion that this game was considered a capped match.  At the Annual General Meeting held in November 2017 the criteria was changed for a second time and the award of the Women's cap was brought in to alignment with the men's game. i.e. if you played in a capped game you received a cap without the requirement for any previous matches played.  Like the previous change the amendment was not back dated.
  The RN(W) players compete for the Roger Sherratt Trophy which is awarded to the member of the Royal Navy Women's Rugby Union Squad who is deemed to be the most valuable player of the season.  This player will have shown strong leadership qualities both on and off the field, have provided a positive influence on the Squad and have displayed the attitude and bearing that epitomises the values of the Royal Navy Women Rugby Union Team.
caption: Women's sevens team and coaching staff in 2017
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