Running throughout August 2025 as a high-profile curtain-raiser to the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the International Defence Rugby Competition (IDRC) will unite eight teams of formidable soldiers, sailors, and airwomen from across the globe. Each side will represent the very best of their nation’s Armed Forces—combining elite rugby skill with the values of discipline, courage, and teamwork that define military sport.

Over three action-packed weeks, teams will be based at the iconic Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey, a fitting backdrop steeped in tradition and service excellence. From there, the competition will move across select venues in and around London, offering fans multiple opportunities to witness international military rugby at its finest.

The journey culminates on 3rd September at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester, where the two top-ranked teams will go head-to-head in a winner-takes-all final. With national pride and military honour on the line, expect a fierce, physical, and inspiring contest.

This is only the second Women’s International Defence Rugby Competition. The inaugural event, held in New Zealand in 2022, delivered thrilling rugby from start to finish—culminating in a gripping final where France edged past hosts New Zealand to claim the first-ever title. The 2025 edition promises to be bigger, faster, and more competitive, with every squad determined to etch their name into IDRC history.