In the Field and On the Field

Rugby Union is a sporting code that has been played by generations of service people since the earliest days of Australia’s armed forces. The story of Rugby Union in the Australian Army is an important component of the Services rugby tradition and an integral part of the history of the code itself in Australia.

The Australian Army Rugby Union’s (AARU) mission is to promote and develop Rugby Union throughout the Australian Army. The AARU’s ethos is based on the Army’s values - courage, initiative, teamwork and respect – and the history clearly demonstrates that it has and continues to be a central feature of the sport in the Australian Army. The Army’s values have been shaped by competition in sports like Rugby Union for over a century.

This history of Rugby Union in the Australian Army explains how the first truly representative Australian Army Rugby Union team was formed in 1919 in France immediately following the Armistice. It highlights the players, teams and events that have contributed to the development and successes of Army Rugby Union. It includes many of the key matches, results and anecdotes about the sport as it was played in Australia and abroad.

The book includes interviews with Ian Mackay, Arthur Fittock, Angie Fairweather and Charles Wilson and contains a large number of photographs.