Royal Navy rugby set for Exeter challenge after change of head coach confirmed

Former player, captain and under-23s coach Ben Priddey has assumed the role of Royal Navy men’s rugby union head coach ahead of the team's final warm-up match against an Exeter Chiefs side at Sandy Park. 

He replaces Charlotte Fredrickson as head coach after she was appointed last summer and became the first female to take the head coach role of a military men’s side. 

But her tenure was short-lived and, after discussions with the team's management at the end of last week, she left the role by mutual consent. 

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The Exeter fixture comes only ten days out from the start of the 2026 Inter Service championships, which gets underway on 18 April at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens. 

The Royal Navy men are seeking back-to-back titles after being crowned champions last May following a 27-17 win over the Royal Air Force and a 37-33 victory against the British Army at the Allianz Stadium.

Priddey, who was a hooker for many years with the Navy, still plays rugby at Camborne RFC and says that the role may have come sooner than expected but that he loves Royal Navy rugby and will do anything to support them.

He said: "It's a massive job and a massive honour. I don't know if I was ready for it this early, but I've been involved in Navy rugby since 2007.

"Once I was getting to the end of my playing days, I wanted to try and give back and jumped on the under-23s, which I really enjoyed. I just want to make Royal Navy rugby a better place."

You can watch every minute of this year's men's and women's Inter Service rugby championship live with BFBS – find out more here.