Parallels Between the British Army and the English Rugby Team…

It is spring 2025, and the Guinness Six Nations starts the year for rugby lovers, like myself. Watching the pre-match preparations and the build-up to the game is part of the experience. Looking at the proud line-up of players, of all shapes and sizes, sharing one uniform and a collective sense of culture and pride, I was struck by the thought that a rugby team, like the Army, is built for people of all shapes and sizes (metaphorically) to be the best they can be, in the role they were made for.

The British Army and a rugby team, though distinct in their functions, share remarkable similarities in their operational structures and leadership philosophies. Both organisations rely on a diverse range of roles, each essential to the collective success of the unit. 

The Forward Pack and Combat Arms

In rugby, the forward pack comprises eight physically powerful players: props, locks, and back row forwards, for example, who engage directly in physical confrontations, scrums, and rucks. Each position within the forwards has distinct characteristics and roles. The forwards are a diverse unit, with each position demanding a unique combination of physical attributes and technical skills. At the heart of the scrum are the props—the loosehead and tighthead—who are typically shorter, stockier, and immensely strong, particularly in the upper body, neck, and legs. Their primary role is to provide stability in the scrum, anchoring the front row while supporting the hooker. Beyond the scrum, they thrive in the tight exchanges of rucks and mauls, using their power to secure possession and gain hard-fought meters as ball carriers in close-quarters play. Their low centre of gravity, immense strength, and scrummaging technique make them indispensable in the battle for dominance up front. Between them stands the hooker, a compact and technically skilled player with the crucial responsibility of throwing the ball into lineouts and striking for the ball in scrums. Agile yet strong, the hooker is also a vital presence in rucks and mauls, often acting as a mobile ball carrier in open play.

Towering over the front row, the locks - typically the tallest players on the team, often exceeding 6’5”- bring raw power and reach to the pack. As the primary jumpers in the lineout, they provide a crucial aerial advantage, securing possession and dictating attacking opportunities. In the scrum, their immense strength drives the forward momentum, while their presence in rucks and mauls ensures dominance in physical contests. Locks also contribute as ball carriers, using their explosive power to break defensive lines and their long reach to secure the ball in tackles and rucks.

Completing the pack are the back row forwards, a trio that blends physicality, mobility, and tactical awareness. The blindside flanker is the enforcer of the group—larger and more physical than his openside counterpart, he dominates in defence, disrupting opposition play and adding weight to the scrum. Meanwhile, the openside flanker is a relentless workhorse, slightly smaller but faster, with an unyielding drive to compete for turnovers at the breakdown and chase the ball across the field. His speed, endurance, and tackling ability make him indispensable in both attack and defence. At the base of the scrum, the number 8 serves as a dynamic link between forwards and backs, blending the power of a lock with the mobility of a flanker. Controlling the ball at the back of the scrum, he is often the team's primary ball carrier, charging forward with strength and agility while also supporting lineout jumpers and maintaining possession in crucial phases of play. Together, this cohesive unit ensures the team has the foundation to dominate physically, control possession, and unleash the attacking potential of the backs.

Thus, their primary role is to gain and retain possession of the ball, setting the foundation for attacking plays. Similarly, the British Army's combat arms - the Infantry, Royal Armoured Corps, Army Air Corps, and Royal Artillery - form the backbone of the Army’s fighting capability. Each branch has distinct characteristics, roles, and specialist skills, yet they function as an integrated force, where success in modern warfare depends on their ability to work together seamlessly. Much like the forward pack, where each position is unique but essential, the Combat Arms rely on their individual strengths while collectively ensuring battlefield dominance.

The Infantry forms the Army’s core fighting force, much like the flankers in rugby - relentless, highly mobile, and unyielding in combat. They operate on the front lines, engaging in close-quarters battle, urban warfare, and counter-insurgency operations. Infantry soldiers are selected and trained for endurance, aggression, and adaptability, enabling them to sustain prolonged engagements and operate in diverse environments - from dense jungles and arid deserts to freezing mountains. Their ability to seize and hold ground is essential to mission success, and their mental resilience ensures they can endure the hardships of combat. Just as rugby flankers are tireless in pursuit of the ball, infantry soldiers must be physically robust and mentally agile, constantly adapting to dynamic battle conditions.

The Iron Fist of the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) is the Army’s shock force, providing speed, firepower, and armoured protection, much like the locks in a rugby team, who bring raw power to scrums and set pieces. Equipped with main battle tanks and reconnaissance vehicles, the RAC can break enemy lines through overwhelming force while also acting as a highly mobile strike force. The combination of firepower and manoeuvrability enables them to exploit weaknesses, outflank enemy forces, and provide a formidable presence in both conventional and asymmetric warfare. Their crews, much like rugby locks, must be technically proficient, disciplined, and able to think quickly under immense pressure.

The Army Air Corps (AAC), aerial predators, can act as forwards or backs. While its speed and tactical awareness align it with backs, its power, endurance, and ability to dominate the battlespace make it comparable to the forward pack. In rugby, the props and hooker form the foundation of the scrum, absorbing pressure and maintaining stability. Similarly, the AAC provides a strong aerial foundation, dominating the airspace with attack helicopters such as the Apache, which deliver heavy firepower and suppress enemy threats—allowing ground forces to operate more effectively. Just as the front row ensures a team’s platform in set pieces, the AAC ensures battlefield superiority, giving friendly forces the upper hand. Locks are among the tallest and most powerful players on a rugby team, known for their dominance in the lineout, scrums, and rucks. The AAC’s attack helicopters—notably the Apache—act like locks by bringing immense power and presence to the battlefield. Just as locks are responsible for securing possession and providing driving force in scrums and mauls, AAC helicopters secure the battlefield, break enemy lines with overwhelming firepower, and provide critical support for advancing forces. The back row in rugby is relentless, covering every inch of the field, contesting breakdowns, and ensuring continuous pressure on the opposition. Similarly, the AAC is constantly in action, providing rapid reaction forces, conducting reconnaissance, and delivering close air support at crucial moments.

Forwards, like Combat Arms, engage directly with adversaries, often in close-quarter combat, and are pivotal in achieving strategic objectives. Roles within the Infantry, such as Riflemen and Grenadiers, mirror the attributes of rugby forwards—strength, resilience, and a readiness to face direct challenges.

Nobody compares the qualities of a prop against a fly-half, because a rugby coach, team and supporter all know that the requirements of a prop (heavy weight, shorter and thicker-set individuals capable of withstanding the pressure of a scrum) are not comparable to those of a fly-half – indeed, it would be like comparing apples and pears. Everyone knows that the only comparison for a prop is another prop and their statistics, and whether weight-for-weight one prop can hold their own against the opposition prop. 

The Backline and Combat Support Arms

The backline in rugby consists of positions like fly-halves, centres, and wingers, who are responsible for executing strategic plays, creating scoring opportunities, and exploiting gaps in the opposition's defence. Whilst the forwards provide the raw power and physicality needed to dominate set-pieces, the backs bring speed, agility, tactical awareness, and creative flair to the game. Each backline position plays a specialised role, but all backs must be quick, skilful, and capable of reading the game effectively. At the heart of the backline are the half-backs, the tactical playmakers who orchestrate attacking movements. The scrum-half, often the smallest player on the field, is a dynamic and quick-thinking distributor, linking the forwards and backs by delivering fast, precise passes from rucks, scrums, and mauls. With excellent vision and agility, they also provide crucial defensive cover around the breakdown and use well-placed box kicks to gain territorial advantage. Partnering them is the fly-half, arguably the most influential player on the team, responsible for dictating the tempo of play. A skilled decision-maker, they choose when to pass, kick, or attack the defensive line, ensuring that their team maintains control and exploits opportunities. Often the primary goal-kicker, their ability to handle pressure and execute pinpoint tactical kicks makes them indispensable.

Moving into the midfield, the inside centre blends power and finesse, acting as both a strong ball carrier and a secondary playmaker. They provide direct running lines to break defensive structures while also supporting the fly-half in distributing the ball. Defensively, they are crucial in shutting down opposition attacks with aggressive tackles. The outside centre, on the other hand, is built for speed and agility, using quick footwork and intelligent running angles to pierce defensive lines and create space for wingers. Their defensive role is equally important, as they often make critical one-on-one tackles in open play.

The back three, comprising the wingers and the full-back, bring explosive pace and finishing ability to the team. Wingers are typically the fastest players on the field, using their acceleration and evasive running to finish attacking moves and chase down opposition kicks. While their primary role is to score tries, they also play a defensive role by marking wide threats and countering kicks. The full-back, positioned as the last line of defence, must be composed under pressure, excelling in fielding high balls and launching counter-attacks. Their positional awareness and tactical kicking ability are vital in ensuring that the team remains defensively sound while also providing attacking opportunities.

Each of these positions is essential to the overall effectiveness of the backline. While the forwards establish dominance in the set-piece and provide a platform for attack, the backs bring the tactical acumen, speed, and execution required to convert opportunities into points. Together, they form a cohesive unit where precision, adaptability, and teamwork determine success on the field.

Thus, the agility, speed, and tactical awareness of the backs is crucial for advancing the game. In parallel, the British Army's Combat Support Arms (CSA) act as the enablers of the Combat Arms, ensuring they have the intelligence, mobility, firepower, and coordination required to win battles. Much like how rugby backs operate behind the forwards, exploiting space, dictating play, and ensuring the team executes its strategy effectively, the Combat Support Arms work behind the frontline forces, providing crucial capabilities that enhance battlefield effectiveness. Each CSA has a specialised function, just as each backline position in rugby contributes a unique skill set to ensure fluidity, adaptability, and success on the field.

The Army Air Corps (AAC), although considered Combat Arms, can act as backs, providing the eyes and striking power of the battlefield, much like wingers in rugby - fast, agile, and capable of delivering decisive impact at key moments. Using attack helicopters such as the Apache, they can neutralise armoured threats, support ground troops with close air support, and conduct deep strike missions beyond enemy lines. Their reconnaissance aircraft provide critical intelligence, surveillance, and target acquisition, ensuring that ground forces maintain the initiative. The AAC’s ability to dominate the airspace allows friendly forces to manoeuvre freely and strike with precision, similar to how a winger exploits space to create scoring opportunities.

Much like the scrum-half and fly-half, the Royal Artillery (RA), as tactical orchestrators, dictate battlefield tempo, control the engagement space, and enable decisive action through indirect fire and air defence. The scrum-half, the link between forwards and backs, mirrors how the Royal Artillery connects intelligence and reconnaissance with offensive action, delivering precision fires where they are needed most. Meanwhile, the fly-half, responsible for tactical vision and controlling play, parallels the RA’s targeting and fire support coordination, ensuring the right weapons engage the right targets at the right time. The RA's role in precision-guided munitions, drones, and counter-battery fire ensures that combat forces can manoeuvre effectively, much like how a fly-half’s decision-making creates attacking opportunities for their team.

The Royal Engineers (RE), playmakers and line-breakers, provide mobility, counter-mobility, and survivability - enabling friendly forces to move and denying the enemy freedom of action. This mirrors the roles of the inside and outside centre, who balance power with creativity to break through defences and support attacking movements. The inside centre is a hard-running playmaker, often tasked with breaking the gain line and making key defensive tackles. The Royal Engineers similarly take the lead in breaching obstacles, constructing fortifications, and ensuring infrastructure support - always at the front of the action, taking on heavy-duty tasks to clear paths for others. The outside centre, known for agility, speed, and game awareness, aligns with specialist Engineer units (such as Explosive Ordnance Disposal, EOD, teams) who work quickly under pressure, identifying and neutralising threats to keep operations fluid and uninterrupted. Both positions require technical skill, intelligence, and adaptability, similar to Engineers who must be problem-solvers on the battlefield, ensuring movement, survivability, and sustainment.

Communication is key to any successful battle plan, just as it is for a rugby team. The Royal Signals (R Sigs), responsible for battlefield communications, cybersecurity, and electronic warfare, act like the full-back and wingers - positions that require a high level of awareness, speed, and reliability. The full-back, often the last line of defence, is also a counter-attacking threat, much like how R Sigs ensure resilience in communications while also disrupting enemy networks through electronic warfare. A full-back must be composed under pressure, just as Sigs personnel must maintain operational command and control, even in degraded environments. The wingers, the fastest players on the field, mirror how cyber and electronic warfare teams within the R Sigs operate in a fast-paced digital battlespace, intercepting, disrupting, and outmanoeuvring the opposition in the electromagnetic spectrum. Their role in securing, jamming, and intercepting signals ensures the battlefield remains connected and protected.

Much like the scrum-half and fly-half, the Intelligence Corps, the visionaries, are the eyes and brains of the battlefield, ensuring that commanders have the information they need to make quick, decisive moves. The scrum-half, constantly scanning the field and making split-second decisions, represents tactical intelligence teams who provide real-time assessments of enemy movements, terrain, and threats. Their ability to read the game and react instantly mirrors the role of the Intelligence Corps’ (Int Corps) in providing up-to-date analysis to support operations. The fly-half, who controls the attack and sets the pace of the game, aligns with strategic intelligence officers, responsible for shaping long-term operational decisions, identifying enemy intentions, and influencing the overall direction of conflict. Both roles require quick thinking, foresight, and precision, making intelligence specialists a crucial component of mission success.

Combat Service Support: Sustaining the Fight 

Just as a rugby team cannot function without its leadership, playmakers, and support staff, a military force cannot sustain operations without its command structure, tactical decision-makers, and Combat Service Support (CSS) elements. The medical team keeps players fit, treats injuries, and manages recovery - just as the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) provides combat medical support, field hospitals, and trauma care. Both are critical for sustaining their forces in high-pressure environments. Meanwhile, a team nutritionist ensures players receive the right food and hydration for optimal performance. This mirrors the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC), responsible for providing food, ammunition, and fuel to soldiers on operations for example. Without them, a team (or unit) would physically deteriorate and become combat ineffective. Equally, a Sports Psychologist helps players with mental resilience, confidence, and emotional well-being, outside of the leadership hierarchy - similar to how Army Chaplains (RAChD) and Welfare Officers support soldiers’ mental, spiritual, and emotional resilience in high-stress environments. Finally, the Team Manager handles logistics, travel, and off-field administration - much like a Quartermaster (QM) in the Army, responsible for equipment, supply chains, and operational sustainability. Without proper logistics and organisation, both teams and military units would grind to a halt.

Leadership, Command and Control

In both rugby and the British Army, success is built on a strong foundation of leadership, command and control (C2). Just as a rugby team has a structured coaching and support staff to ensure peak performance, the military relies on command structures to ensure battlefield effectiveness. 

The Head Coach of a rugby team, with their capacity for strategic thinking, leadership, motivation, and adaptability is comparable to the Commanding Officer (CO) of a military unit. They provide the overall vision, ensuring that all players (or soldiers) understand their roles and objectives. The CO, like the coach, must balance strategic foresight with tactical execution, ensuring that the team/unit is well-prepared for the challenges ahead.

The Team Captain on the field, demonstrating tactical awareness, resilience, leadership, decisiveness is like the Officer Commanding (OC) of a subunit (company or squadron). They are responsible for leading from the front, making real-time decisions, and ensuring cohesion under pressure. Just as a captain adjusts tactics on the field based on unfolding situations, the OC ensures operational flexibility and effective leadership of troops in combat.

The Scrum-Half, and Fly-Half, are the key on-field playmakers, with excellent communication, quick decision-making, and tactical control, they are responsible for translating strategy into action, much like Platoon Commanders and Senior NCOs (SNCOs) in the Army. A Scrum-Half, like an SNCO, can control the pace of the game, link forwards and backs, much like how Sergeants (Sgts) and Warrant Officers (WOs) manage soldiers, relay orders, and maintain discipline. A Fly-Half, however, is perhaps more aligned with the Platoon Commander, the primary decision-maker, dictating play, analysing threats, coordinating attacks, and leading tactical operations on the ground.

A rugby team has specialised coaches, with the requisite analytical skills, planning ability, and tactical expertise, who are responsible for defence, attack, and set-piece play. These roles are comparable to Operations Officers (Ops Officers) in a battalion or brigade HQ, who focus on planning, intelligence, and operational execution. They do not directly command troops necessarily, but ensure the right tactics and strategy are in place.

The strength and conditioning coach ensures that players are physically prepared for the game -mirroring the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) in a battalion, who is responsible for training, discipline, and morale. Both ensure that their teams remain resilient, fit, and mentally tough.

But it is not just the players, or those directly responsibility for their performance on the pitch, that are essential to excellent rugby. The military relies on Legal Officers and Ethics Advisors, who embody impartiality, legal knowledge, decision-making efficacy, to ensure that operations are conducted within the framework of international law and military justice, just as a rugby match requires referees to enforce the laws of the game.

Adaptability and Continuous Improvement

Both the British Army and a rugby team operate in environments that require constant adaptation and improvement. The ability to learn from experiences, analyse performance, and implement changes is vital for sustained success. Routine rugby practice of regular self-assessment and post-match analysis, combined with a relentless pursuit of excellence serve as a model for continuous improvement. In the military, after-action reviews (AARs) and debriefings are standard procedures to identify lessons learned in order to apply them to future operations.

Conclusion

Just as a rugby team cannot rely solely on its forwards or backs, coaches or manager, the British Army cannot function without its Combat Arms, Combat Support Arm and Combat Service Support Arms working in harmony. While the Combat Arms provide the raw strength and frontline capability, and the Combat Support Arms ensure soldiers can function effectively, the Combat Service Support Arms ensure they are sustained, their contributions equally vital.

A successful rugby team thrives on cohesion, trust, adaptability, and specialised skills, all of which are central in modern military operations. Just as a well-balanced team ensures players exploit opportunities and react to threats, the well-balanced Army is able to execute operations with precision, effectiveness, and agility ensuring that every battle is fought as a team, with every role playing its part.

The synergy, or interdependence, of each element, and the diversity required of operators within each element of both a successful rugby team and a high functioning Army, highlights a fundamental truth in both warfare and sport: diversity of capability is not a weakness but a strength. The best teams - whether in rugby or in battle - are those that understand and respect the different roles within them, recognising that success is only possible when each component performs its function to the best of its ability. None can function effectively in isolation; success comes from their ability to operate as a synchronised force, leveraging individual strengths to achieve a common objective.

I didn’t do it at the time, I had already written a long piece and wanted to focus on the Army roles, but I have since reflected on our sister Services and, naturally, The Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and Royal Air Force fit all well within the analogy, aligned to different elements of the rugby team, open for discussion on this but…:

Royal Navy – The Front Row and Tactical Enablers?

The RN could be likened to the front row forwards (props and hooker), providing a strong foundation that enables the rest of the team (or military) to operate effectively. Like props in a scrum, the Navy ensures stability in global maritime operations, securing sea lanes and protecting supply chains, much like how props anchor the scrum to provide a solid platform for the rest of the team. The hooker, responsible for precision (throwing into lineouts) and engaging in the most physically demanding aspects of forward play, aligns with how the Navy balances offensive and defensive roles - projecting power while maintaining control over critical maritime domains. The Navy’s role in amphibious operations, delivering forces to shore, mirrors how the front row creates space and lays the groundwork for attacking plays.

Royal Marines – The Back Row and Mobile Strike Force?

The RM are the military’s elite amphibious force, known for their versatility, endurance, and rapid-response capability. Their role is best compared to flankers and the number 8 in rugby, who are dynamic, mobile, and relentless in both attack and defence. The blindside flanker, a physically dominant enforcer, mirrors Royal’s ability to provide shock and awe in operations. The openside flanker, fast and agile, represents their ability to react quickly, conduct special operations, and adapt to any environment, whether Arctic warfare or jungle operations. The number 8, who links the forwards and backs while being a primary ball carrier, aligns with the RM’s role in spearheading amphibious assaults and linking land and naval operations.

Royal Air Force – The Back Three and Tactical Visionaries?

The RAF can best be compared to the back three in rugby (full-back and wingers), as they are responsible for covering large distances, providing rapid response, and exploiting gaps in enemy defences. The full-back, the last line of defence who must read the game, anticipate threats, and counterattack effectively, mirrors the RAF’s role in air superiority, surveillance, and strategic defence. Their ability to launch counterattacks through precision strikes and protect allied forces aligns with the defensive awareness and attacking potential of a rugby full-back. The wingers, the fastest players who thrive on exploiting space and delivering the finishing touches to attacking plays, represent the RAF’s fast jets, such as the Typhoon and F-35, which provide rapid and decisive aerial support, executing offensive strikes with precision and speed.

So, if I was to rework this (already long) piece, reinforce the idea that the entire military functions like a rugby team, with each branch playing a crucial and complementary role, I would add the above as follows:

The Royal Navy would fit well before the Combat Arms section, as they provide the strategic foundation for military operations, much like how props and the hooker establish stability in the scrum.

The Royal Marines could be included within or just after the Back Row/Infantry section, as they are highly mobile, versatile, and play a direct combat role akin to flankers and number 8s.

The Royal Air Force would fit naturally within or just before the Combat Support Arms section, as their airpower, intelligence, and rapid-strike capabilities align with the agility and precision of the back three in rugby.

More about Dr Carr

Dr Victoria Carr is a Reserve Officer in the British Army Intelligence Corps; a successful primary school Headteacher; a Chartered Manager and member of the CMI (shortlisted finalist for CM of the Year 2023); a CollectivEd Senior Fellow, Leeds Beckett University; a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching; a Senior Research Fellow, the Centre for Army Leadership; an author and TEDx speaker who focuses on leadership, the power of language and how we all have the power to change lives. Vic advocates that there is a social imperative for those in leadership positions to actively create opportunities for transformational interactions with others.

She has been a keynote speaker at a multitude of military and educational leadership events and brings her passion and insight, gained through decades of leadership in a range of environments, to each bespoke brief she delivers. She has lectured part time at Master’s degree level. She has 3 MAs: in Equality and Diversity, Leadership, and Modern War Studies/ Contemporary Military History, and is currently working on her fourth, in Global Security. Her doctorate is in leadership and politics in education.

She published her first two books, Leading with Love and Authentic School Improvement, with Routledge, and is working on a third with a co-author, about the history of British Army officer recruitment since 1660, titled ‘The Steps to Glory’, due to be published by Helion, early 2026.