Army v Navy: Royal Navy women prepare to face 'talented' Army team
For the Royal Navy women's rugby team, there has been no time for rest following their 36-10 defeat to the Royal Air Force in Northampton.
Their attention now immediately turns to their biggest fixture on their seasonal calendar against the British Army at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Historically, it's been an Army story ever since the women's game made its debut at the home of English Rugby in 2022.
Speaking to BFBS Sport, Navy captain Petty Officer Rose Dixon says that the senior service hope that they can "shut down" the expected Army charge as early as possible.
She said: "We know what the Army can bring and that's a really physical up front and some real talent in the backs.
"They are very quick, very good hands, so we are just looking defensively how we can shut that down and shut it down early.
"I think in an ideal world, we are not camped out in our own 22 for very long, so we have been looking at that and that kind of set piece because we really worked into the RAF game, but we want to come out up here [on top] for the Army game."
In 2024, the Navy scored their second-ever try at Twickenham thanks to their full-back, LAET Jasmine Able.
"Incredible," she recalled. "The cohesion of the team as soon as I scored it, everyone coming together, it just feels amazing having that family within the Navy."
The team is led by their ex-player turned head coach, Chief Petty Officer Sarah Jenkins.
She told BFBS Sport: "I wish I was on there playing, but how many coaches can actually say that you've took a team to Twickenham and played?
"So, even just for me as a coach, it does feel like Christmas Day, everything that we've been building since September last year, this is sort of like the penultimate day that it all comes together and then just to enjoy it overall."
The women's Army v Navy game will be live on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel from 16:20 BST.
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