What Does Military Sport Have In Store For 2019?

With 2018 coming to a close, it’s time to look ahead to what is happening in 2019 in the forces sporting world.

Rugby League

The New Year begins with the Challenge Cup first round in January.

The ties for this one have already been confirmed and all three services teams face tough challenges to get through.

In last season's competition, the Army went the furthest out of the tri-service sides teams when they reached the third round but were knocked out by Kells ARLFC.

In September, the Army will be defending their Inter Services Championship against the RAF and the Navy. They won the title for the first time in five years in 2018 with a 42-6 victory over the Air Force.

For the UK Armed Forces team, the Defence Forces World Cup will be their main challenge. Held in Japan, the team will be looking to better their third-place finish in the tournament from 2017.

Rugby Union

For this sport, there are a number of key fixtures to look forward to throughout 2019.

The main attention will go to the big Army vs Navy match at Twickenham in May. The Army have taken the bragging rights for seven of the last eight years so the Navy will be looking to end that unsuccessful run.

Apart from that, the regular Inter Services season provides competition for Army, Navy and RAF teams while the women’s team will embark on a new adventure with the introduction of a sevens side for the first time.

Winter Sports

The first fixture of the season comes from Ruhpolding, Germany as Exercise Rucksack takes over at the end of January. At the event, the British National, Inter-Service, Inter-Corps and Army Nordic Ski Championships will all be decided.

Following that, the attention turns to Meribel for a week of intense snow sports.

The Inter Services title will be on the line and people will be hoping to emulate Sapper Euan Kick’s performance from last year which got him the nod for the Army’s ‘Rising Star’ award for 2018.

At the end of February, we also have the Inter Services Ice Sports Championship on the line. The German state of Bavaria provides the location on a lake called Koenigsse which the athletes will be looking to tackle.

Athletics

With the well-known fitness levels of military personnel, it’s no surprise that athletics is one of the most competitive sports in the forces world. That will continue into 2019 with a number of different events.

On February 13, military cross-country athletes will battle for the Inter Services crown as the RAF will look to continue their dominance from last year. They won all individual races apart from one and swept the Army and Navy away on their route to victory.

In March, the half-marathon title will be decided in Fleet while in the heat of July, the Inter Services Athletics Championships will see all men and women from all three services compete.

Football

With each service consisting of a men’s, women’s and U23’s team, there are plenty of fixtures for forces footballers.

Competitions include the Inter Services where both the Army’s men and women teams will be looking to retain their titles in March.

At the end of the year in December, the Kentish Cup is scheduled to take place for the first time in two years. Last season’s competition was cancelled after the Dutch team pulled out but if it goes ahead in 2019, the UKAF team will be the defending champions.

Tennis

Another prestigious British sporting venue is given a military flavour during 2019. Wimbledon has seen the best tennis players in the world battle it out in the best competitions and that includes the Inter Services Championships. The Army, Navy and RAF will battle it out for the annual trophy.

Also on the schedule for 2019 is the Army Tennis Championships in Aldershot as well as a number of different fixtures for the Navy and the RAF.

Cricket

One of the highlights of the cricket season is the military trip to Lords for the Inter Services T20. The faster-paced version of the game is always a treat for watching fans inside one of the most prestigious cricket grounds in the country.

Backing that up, the test cricket version of the Inter Services sees the Army looking to retain their title with the RAF and the Navy determined to wrangle the trophy from them.

Boxing

Military boxing had a fantastic 2018. Lance Corporal Chez Nihill was named Army Sportsman of the Year and Navy boxer George Crotty successfully defended his Light-Heavyweight Championship at the GB Boxing Championships.

2019 has a lot to offer too though. March brings us the Inter Services Championships while many of the military stars will be hoping to impress at the National Elite Championships later in the month.

Awards

Finally, the sporting teams end their year in the best way possible: awards.

Awards ceremonies are nights of celebration for a year of sporting merit as the Army, RAF and Navy all honour their best sportsmen and women.

Of course, these are just a sample of what the military sporting teams offer us every year. There will be plenty of stories in the worlds of powerlifting, swimming, equestrian and hockey to name just a few.