The inaugural match between the Royal Navy and the French Navy was held in 2005 as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations. The original plan was for the match to be played at Twickenham as the curtain raiser to England V France. Unfortunately bad weather forced the match to be relocated to the neighbouring pitch at Kneller Hall. The fixture quickly became established and took on its own unique identity marked by often uncompromising play. After two matches in Paris the French Navy decided to host the Royal Navy in their south coast port of Toulon, a town with a long standing rugby tradition. The 10,000 crowd in the Stade Mayol took the fixture to a new level and the following year the Royal Navy Rugby Union approved the awarding of caps for this fixture. A return to Stade Mayol was again try-less for the Royal Navy whilst the Navy's 21-10 win in 2013 continued the trend of the away team winning. In 2015 the Marine Nationale finally achieved their first away win as they produced a second half comeback to win 33-19 at US Portsmouth RFC. It was a fitting achievement as the match also marked the stepping down of their head coach who had guided their team since the first fixture in 2005.
Since that first away win the Marine Nationale have remained the dominant team recording further wins in both 2016 and 2017. These results meant that for the first time in the short but already meaningful history of the competition the Marine Nationale have a winning record over the Royal Navy.
Geraint Ashton Jones - July 2017
| Year | RN v MN | Match Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | MN (10) 19 - 7 | Stade De la Rabine, Vannes (n/a) Dobson [1 x T] Gott [1 x C] New Caps: MacAdams, Mills, Rigelsford, King, Teear-Bourge, Lindsay, Dobson, Mallett, Hussell Team: Beasley, Williams, Cleverley, MacAdams, Williams, Mills, Hayler (C), Matavesi, Rigelsford, Gott, Chambers, King, Raumakita, Teear-Bourge, Duncan Reps: Mallett, Lindsay, Watson, Scott, Hussell, Toogood, Rutter, Dobson |
| 2023 | RN (8) 30 - 13 | Plymouth Albion RFC, [350] , Williams, Matavesi, Gliddon [1 x T] Hanley [ 2 x P 3 x C] Gott [1 x P] New Caps Alton K, Williams R, Boulton R, Toogood J, Hanley J, Gliddon H, Rees S, Cleverley D, Scott W, Cador L Team: Alton, Williams, Watson, Boulton, Pascoe, Vakalutukali, Matavesi, Hayler (C), Toogood, Hanley, Gliddon, Gott, Rees, Rudder, Duncan Reps: Evans, Cleverley, Scott, Spencer, Papp, Rutter, Cador, Bowden |
| 2022 | MN (9) 33 - 7 | Stade De la Rabine, Vannes (n/a) Mitchell [1 X T] Gott [1 x C] New Caps: Ives R, Williams J, Papp T, Hughan G, Gott J, Baker, K, Rudder J, O'Brien R, Rutter D, Lowe J, Mitchell R, Frankland L, Carter S, Wakefield A Team: Ives, Priddey (C), Waner, Kirwan, Williams, Papp, Spencer, Hughan, Rees, Gott, Chambers, Baker, Raumakita, Rudder, O'Brien Reps (all used): Frankland, Beasley, Watson, Wakefield, Mitchell, Carter, Rutter, Lowe |
| 2021 | N/A | Not Played Covid19 |
| 2020 | N/A | Not Played Covid19 |
| 20 Mar 2019 | RN (7) 47 - 3 | Brickfields, Plymouth (tbc) Matavesi [2 x T], Spencer, Myers [1 x T], Rees [1 x T, 2 x C, 2 x P] Loydall [1 x T, 2 x C, 1 x P] New Caps: Janes B, Duncan C, Bridgen K, Spencer M, Coy P, Johnson D, Kirwan J Team: Duncan C, Myers E *, Raumakita S *, Janes B, Dimmock-Williams R *, Loydall G *, Rees G *, Hayler J *, Matavesi S *, Pascoe E *, Makepeace S * (C), Watson B *, Robinson C *, Priddey B *, Terry J * Reps: Beasley K *, Wilman A *, Kirwan J, Spencer M, Johnson D, Bridgen K, Coy P, Chambers B * (all used) |
| 4 Apr 18 | MN (8) 33-14 | Stade Mayol, Toulon [~9000} J Humphrey [2 xP], E Pascoe [1xT] New Caps C Frogley, B Cook, B Chambers, A WIlman Team: Beasley, Priddey (Capt), Frogley, Pascoe, Makepeace, Matavesi, Hayler, Cook, Rees, Huntley, Chambers, Loydall, Raumakita, Myers, Humphrey Reps Evans for Beasley, Wilman for Frogley, Mason for Makepeace, Fox for Pascoe, Harvey for Cook, Moore (not used) Welling for Humphrey, Dimmock-Williams for Myers |
| 22 Mar 2017 | MN (7) 19 - 15 | Brickfields, Plymouth (tbc) M Bowden, D Fairbrother [1 x T], J Humphrey [1 x P, 1 x C] R Cadywould (729), J Basher (730) 1st caps RN Team: K Mason, B Priddey (capt), C Robinson, E Pascoe, M Harvey, B Fox, D Taylor, D Fairbrother, G Rees, R Cadywould, M Bowden, J Basher, E Myers, G Welling, J Humphrey. Reps: H Collins, G Evans, M Owen, O Mason, L Cooper, C Moore, N Huntley, S Raumakita |
| 23 Mar 2016 | MN (6) 28-6 | Stade Mayol, Toulon [~7000} J Humphrey [2 xP], C Moore, B Watson, G John Rees, T Kava, G Loydall, C Warner 1st Caps. RN Team: Evans *, Priddey (Capt) *, Court *, Pascoe *, Lamsin *, Fox *, Hayler *, Fairbrother *, Moore, Huntley *, Bowden *, Tichias *, Davies S *, Raumakita *, Humphrey Reps: Collins *, Mason *, Warner, Watson, Kava, John Rees, Loydall, Buinimasi * |
| 1 Apr 2015 | MN (5) 33-19 | US Portsmouth RFC [800] B Priddey [1xT], J Humphrey [1xC, 4xP] S Puleston, J Jones, E Pascoe 1st Caps RN Team: Mason *, Priddey (Capt) *, Terry *, Harvey *, Cormack *, Puleston, Raumakita *, Fairbrother *, Stephen *, Huntley *, Welling *, Tichias *, S Davies *, Marlin *, Humphrey * Reps: Collins *, Beasley *, Blackburn *, Pascoe, Cowley *, Jones, Buinimasi *, T Davies * |
| 19 Mar 2014 | MN (4) 32 - 7 | Stade Mayol, Toulon [~9500] G Welling [1xT], T Davies [1xC], T Cowley, M Harvey, D Fairbrother, S Davies, Vakalutukali, K Wood, H Collins 1st caps Team: K Mason *+, B Priddey * (C), J Terry *, T Cowley, M Cormack *, M Harvey, S Laird *, D Fairbrother, D Pascoe *, N Huntley *, G Welling *, M Tichias *, S Davies, J Humphrey *, T Davies * Reps: H Collins, M Owen *, K Beasley *, D Taylor *, T Vakalutukali, I Cooper *, J Stephens*, K Wood |
| 3 Apr 2013 | RN (6) 21 - 10 | US Portsmouth RFC [700] B Priddey, J Humphrey [1xT] D Pascoe [1xC, 3 xP] J Lamsin, D Taylor, M Tichias (703), C Thompson, G Welling, T Davies, J Terry 1st Caps Team: K Mson *+, B Priddey *, G Evans *, J Lamsin, M Cormack *, D Taylor, S Laird *, I Cooper *, D Pascoe (C) *, N Huntley *, J Marlin *, D Sleeman *, M Tichias, J Foster *, J Humphrey * Reps: K Beasley *, J Terry, J Court *, C Thompson, T Holiday (not used), T Davies, S Buinimasi *, G Welling |
| 11 Apr 2012 | MN (3) 24 - 3 | Stade Mayol, Toulon [~9,300] D Pascoe [1xP] J Quarnivalu, B Fox, T Glover, D Bamford, N Huntley, J Humphrey, K Beasley, S Raumakita, D Smith [1st caps] Sam Laird [RN Man of the Match] Team: K Mason *+, G Evans *, T Blackburn *, J Quarnivalu, M Cormack *, B Fox, S Laird *, I Cooper *, D Pascoe (C) *, T Glover, J Drauniniu * , D Bamford, N Huntley, A Vance *, J Humphrey Reps: D Smith, K Beasley, H Mitchell-Heggs (not used), S Raumakita, G Jones (not used), J Foster (not used), D Sleeman |
| 31 Mar 2011 | RN (5) 17 - 10 | Plymouth Albion RFC [~3500] J Drauniniu [1xT], Pascoe [4xP] I Cooper, S Laird, N Copeland, T Evans-Jones [1st caps] Team: K Mason *+, B Priddey *, M Roberts *, W Cairns *, S McLaren *, G Evans *, G Barden *, I Cooper, D Pascoe (C)*, W John *, J Drauniniu *, D Sleeman *, C MacRae *, A Vance *, D Smallbone Reps: T Evans-Jones, J Court *, N Copeland, S Laird, J Stephen *, S Llewellyn *, J Marlin |
| The Royal Navy Rugby Union Annual General Meeting agreed that from 2011 this match would be afforded cap status. | ||
| 19 Mar 2010 | MN (2) 29 - 3 | Stade Mayol, Toulon [~10,000] N/A/ Caps Pascoe [1xC] M Owen, G Evans, M Roberts, N Copeland, S McLaren, K Morton, G Barden, M Cormack, D Pascoe, W John, J Stephen, D Sleeman, C MacRae, S Llewellyn, T Glover Reps: A Dennis, M Egglestone, J Marlin, D Smallbone |
| 13 Mar 2009 | RN (4) 31 - 27 | US Portsmouth RFC [~2000] N/A/Caps Drauniniu, Priddey, Evans, MacRae [1xT], Lloyd [1xT, 3xC] Team: K Mason *+, B Priddey *, J Court *, D Chambers *, M Cormack (C) *, G Jones, A Dennis *, M Parker *, J Stephen, R Lloyd *, G Barden *, L Taylor, C MacRae *, J Drauniniu *, A Vance* Reps: G Evans *, M Roberts *, K Wise, J Volaisaya, W John *, S Buinimasi *, D Smallbone |
| 2008 | RN (3) 18 - 13 | Stade Jean Buin, Paris [`2500] N/A/Caps K Mason, G Evans, M Roberts, J Doney, M Cormack, A Dennis, W Pilkington (C), M Parker, W John, R Lloyd, G Barden, C MacRae, S Llewellyn, J Drauniniu, A Vance Reps: D Turner, O James, C Patilla, M Salama, O Salmon, J Mills, S Buinimasi |
| 10 Mar 2007 | RN (2) 12 - 8 | US Portsmouth RFC [~1200] N/A Caps Pascoe [4xP] K Mason, S Moss, S May, K Owens, M Cormack, W Jerrold, J Doney, G Evans, D Pascoe (C), T Gover, A Vance, J Caruana, G Barden, J Drauniniu, R Lloyd Reps Used: W John, G FEar, S Buinimasi |
| 2006 | MN (1) 26-21 | Paris [~500] N/A Caps |
| 2005 | RN (1) 20 - 5 | Kneller Hall [~400] N/A Caps |