15 July 2026
Weymouth Record-Breaking Beach Rugby Festival
Written by P Todd
Nearly 200 Sailors and Marines Descend on Weymouth for Record-Breaking Beach Rugby Festival 2026. This year's men's winners were 29 Commando RA. They were joined on the podium by the women's community rugby 7s team, the Mako.
Weymouth's popular beach front became a battleground of sand, sweat and spectacular rugby as almost 200 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel took part in the annual RNRU Beach Rugby Festival, delivering the biggest and most competitive event seen in recent years.
The festival showcased the momentum of community rugby with15 men's teams and 4 women's team from across the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and wider Armed Forces, all against the golden Dorset backdrop.
29 Commando RA Crowned Men's Champions
The men's competition featured three fiercely contested groups, with teams battling through the blistering heat and energy-sapping sand for a place in the knockout stages.
Group A produced several high-scoring encounters, with Lightning Force (RAF Marham B) and HMS Queen Elizabeth B emerging as group winners. A strong campaign from Hamworthy Barracks earned them one of the highest-scoring third-place spots and a place in the quarter-finals.
In Group B, defending champions Marham Bulls faced stiff competition from RNAS Yeovilton, HMNB Devonport, HMNB Clyde and tournament newcomers 29 Commando Royal Artillery. The group's quality shone through as Yeovilton topped the standings, closely followed by 29 Commando RA, while the Bulls secured a knockout berth as one of the best third-placed teams.
Group C saw a strong Portsmouth presence with teams from HMS Sultan, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Defender joined by a combined Royal Marines side representing 42 Commando, 45 Commando and CLR. The Royal Marines impressed by remaining unbeaten throughout the group stages, while HMS Sultan A secured the second qualification spot.
Knockout Drama
The quarter-finals delivered plenty of excitement.
HMS Sultan A edged past Lightning Force 3-2.
Marham Bulls defeated Hamworthy Barracks 3-2.
29 Commando RA produced a commanding 5-0 victory over the Royal Marines.
HMS Queen Elizabeth B overcame RNAS Yeovilton 5-2.
The semi-finals set the stage for a new champion. Tournament debutants 29 Commando RA defeated last year's finalists HMS Sultan A 5-2, while HMS Queen Elizabeth B ended the title defence of the Marham Bulls with an impressive 4-1 victory.
That left two surprise finalists battling for glory in the scorching Weymouth sunshine. In a fast-paced final packed with powerful collisions and skilful offloads, 29 Commando RA surged into an early lead and never looked back. Despite a determined effort from the sailors of HMS Queen Elizabeth B, 29 Commando proved too strong, securing a convincing 7-2 victory to lift the trophy and write their name into the festival record book.
Women's Rugby Continues to Grow
The women's competition delivered one of the most encouraging stories of the day, recording its strongest participation numbers yet. Teams from RNAS Yeovilton, HMNB Devonport and RAF Marham were joined by players from across the Royal Navy rugby community, while members of the Mako, the Royal Navy Women's Sevens team, provided valuable experience and support throughout the festival.
The event formed part of a wider Eastern Region women's grassroots development programme, which aims to increase participation and provide progressive playing opportunities for new athletes entering the game.
Following an hour of coaching led by Royal Navy Women's Development Coaches, teams competed in a round-robin touch rugby tournament.
The standout performers were the Mako and RNAS Yeovilton, who could not be separated in their head-to-head clash, finishing in an entertaining 8-8 draw. However, the Mako claimed overall victory on points difference to take home the trophy.
A Landmark Moment for Women's Rugby
The festival also marked a significant milestone for women's rugby within the Royal Navy.
For the first time in the event's history, enough confident and capable players were available to stage a women's contact rugby match. Mixed teams, made up of both experienced players and newcomers, took part in an exhibition fixture after receiving coaching on contact skills and tackle techniques. The community rugby team hailed the match as a major step forward for women's community rugby, highlighting the growing interest and development pathways now available across the Service.
Festival Goes From Strength to Strength
With hundreds of spectators lining the beach throughout the day, many expecting a peaceful summer's day by the sea, they instead witnessed a thrilling showcase of Armed Forces rugby played in glorious, yet challenging conditions.
From fierce competition and dramatic finals to growing female participation and outstanding displays of teamwork, the 2026 RNRU Beach Rugby Festival reinforced its reputation as one of the highlights of the RN rugby calendar.
Organisers also thanked the volunteers, referees, Weymouth Town Council, Tesco Express Weymouth and Boot Bananas for their support in delivering another successful event.
The countdown has already begun for next year's festival, with players encouraged to mark Wednesday 7 July 2027 in their diaries as the RNRU Beach Rugby Festival returns to Weymouth once again.
Images by JH Media