UKAF v Belgium Report: Remembrance 2026

UKAF 28 – 53 Belgium
Wednesday 11 November 2026, Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester

UKAF v Belgium was a night when the rugby mattered, but the occasion mattered more. On Armistice Day, the UK Armed Forces Men’s XV met Belgium’s national side for the first time. Belgium, 22nd in the world and unbeaten in their last four Tests, won 53-28 after racing into a 28-0 lead inside 17 minutes. However, UKAF never stopped fighting, and they matched their visitors for long periods after that brutal opening spell.

Around 2,000 supporters came to Kingsholm, a considerably bigger crowd than last year. Before kick-off, both squads and both coaching teams came together for an act of remembrance. Wreaths were laid by Air Vice-Marshal Ian Townsend, Chair of UKAF Rugby, Lt Col Mark Shears for the Belgian Defence Attaché, and Mr Rob Howles of the Gloucester RFC Veterans Group. A minute’s silence followed. Amelia Underwood King, who has supported UKAF Rugby for five years, then sang the anthems. For this match, she learned the trilingual version of the Brabançonne, with lines in French, Dutch and German.

“Rarely do you get to play on the actual Armistice Day, on the 11th,” said head coach Lt Col Tim Osman before the game. “Having the opportunity to represent all our friends, all our families, all those who have gone before us is really special.” Belgium head coach Laurent Dossat, who spent 16 years in the Navy, called it “a big honour” for his squad to be at Kingsholm on such a day.

Capt Jarrard Hayler RM captained UKAF from number 7. Three players won their first caps: Lt Cdr Dec Johnson in the second row, and Capt Frank Kelly and LCpl Levi Roper in the centres.

Belgium strike early at Kingsholm

UKAF started well in defence. Belgium tried to run from deep with dummy runners and passes out the back, but the UKAF line held. Will Rigelsford almost intercepted for what could have been a length-of-the-field try. Unfortunately, he knocked on.

Belgium made them pay after five minutes. Playing with a penalty advantage, inside centre Lindberg John “LJ” Ekendahl stepped inside the defence and broke clear to score. Fly-half Marius Dehoust converted from wide on the left.

The Belgian pack then took over. After a lineout overthrow, tighthead Samuel Opsomer gathered at the back. A series of pick-and-goes followed, and number 8 Paul Gerard went over for the second try after 11 minutes. Gerard is a third-generation Belgian international, following his grandfather and father.

Soon after, a lineout drive made big ground, and lock Maurice Fromont crashed over two phases later. Then, with 17 minutes gone, Ekendahl ran in his second from Belgium’s own 22. Dehoust converted all four, and Belgium led 28-0.

Nayalo and Hayler spark the fightback

UKAF needed a response, and their captain provided it. Pete Austin’s tip pass sent Hayler through a gap, and he was dragged down 8 metres short. The forwards kept hammering away, with Dec Johnson making a huge carry, and Belgium conceded a penalty 5 metres out. Senitiki Nayalo tapped quickly and powered over from close range. Jack Johnson converted.

Suddenly, UKAF were in the game. Belgium number 8 Gerard was penalised for a deliberate knock-on as UKAF threatened again. Next, the UKAF maul drove Belgium back 10 metres and won another penalty. Johnson kicked to the corner, but the 5-metre lineout went astray.

UKAF did not waste their next chance. From a solid scrum, Frank Kelly carried hard twice on his debut. Then Hayler spotted a slow defender around the fringe, picked up and drove over. Johnson’s second conversion made it 28-14 with seven minutes of the half left.

Belgium had the final word before the break, though. Ekendahl broke again, and the visitors’ powerful forwards carried them deep into the UKAF 22. Fromont finished it off for his second try, and Dehoust completed a perfect first half with the boot. As a result, Belgium led 35-14 at half-time.

Dawson and Vereti close the gap

UKAF began the second half in the right way. Sitiveni Vasuturaga came on at tighthead and Kye Beasley at loosehead, and both made big collisions straight away. Hayler then won a vital turnover at the breakdown.

UKAF built real pressure on the Belgian line. Belgium conceded three penalties in quick succession as Nayalo, Dawson and Tagutu all went close. Finally, Rigelsford spotted the space and threw a long pass across three attackers. Matt Dawson, conspicuous all night in his red scrum cap, ran in under the posts. The conversion made it 35-21 after 46 minutes.

Belgium settled things with two penalties from replacement fly-half Mathieu Hautier. The first, from a long way out, came after a deliberate knock-on. The second followed a penalty for not rolling away. Belgium now led 41-21.

Even so, UKAF kept coming. Dawson chased a kick through and forced it dead, earning a 5-metre scrum. Dawson then moved into the front row to pack down at hooker, something few in the ground knew he could do. From the scrum, the UKAF forwards drove at the line. Beasley latched on to add weight, and Kody Vereti was carried over. Replacement fly-half Jake Hanley converted, and UKAF trailed 41-28 just after the hour.

Belgium finish strongly

The game turned on one set-piece sequence. The Belgian scrum drove UKAF back for a penalty, and Chris Mills came on at hooker to steady it. From the resulting lineout, Belgium mauled 20 metres. Replacement scrum-half Lucas Michiels then spotted space on the short side, and Opsomer ran in Belgium’s sixth try. Hautier missed the conversion, Belgium’s first miss of the night.

UKAF still had chances. Jack Johnson burst clean through midfield, but his offload for Kieran Forbes was intercepted. Forbes then put in a huge hit in defence. However, Belgium kept their structure. Michiels found space again, and the forwards made the hard yards before Dehoust’s long pass sent replacement Curtis Moucheron over on the right. Hautier converted for 53-28.

There was one last flourish from UKAF. Freddy Elliott danced his way into the Belgian 22, and support was queuing up outside him. Unfortunately, the ball was stripped in the tackle, and Gerard kicked it off the field to end the match.

Hayler named player of the match

Hayler was named player of the match by RAF and Cardiff lock Josh McNally, who was on commentary for the stream. “When you think of a UKAF team, when you think of a Navy team, you don’t really think too much past what Jarrard has done for both services,” said McNally. “He’s been exceptional tonight.” Hayler received the Steff Rees Memorial Trophy from Anna, the mother of Steff Rees. Steff died while representing UKAF at the International Defence Rugby Championship in France in 2023. The trophy is kindly supported by the Royal Naval Association.

Afterwards, Hayler reflected on the night. “We can be disappointed with our first 10 minutes,” he said. “But there were some real positives in there, and we’ve got some work to do. Playing rugby for the UK Armed Forces on the 11th is an absolute privilege and honour, and something I’ll never take lightly.”

He also paid tribute to the debutants, especially Dec Johnson. “He’s one of my best mates, and he’s worked so hard,” said Hayler. “Not thinking he would ever play rugby a few years ago, to now getting capped by the UK Armed Forces. Fair play to him.” Johnson has fought back from multiple knee operations and a shoulder reconstruction.

Belgium vice-captain Flor Van Den Bussche was proud of his young side. “We had a short week of preparation, but we wanted to leave it all on the pitch, and I think we did that,” he said. “We all know UKAF play at a very high level. We expected a very fast, hard game, and that’s what they brought to us.”

UKAF v Belgium: the road to IDRC 2027

For UKAF, this match was another step on the road to the International Defence Rugby Championship in Australia in 2027. Once again, a slow start proved costly, just as it did against Germany last year. Nevertheless, after falling 28-0 behind, UKAF won the remaining 63 minutes 28-25 against a Test side with Rugby World Cup ambitions.

“Seeing where UKAF have come from in the last four or five years, to where they are now, playing against Test sides in the international window, is exactly where UKAF want to be,” said McNally. “With the IDRC next year, it’s in a very good place.”

Match commentary came from Bruce Millar and Josh McNally. The referee was Capt Iain Kiy of the British Army, with Lt Michael Todd and Flt Lt Mike Gray as assistant referees.

UKAF Rugby would like to thank match sponsors Dell Technologies and AMD, and principal sponsor Vodafone, for making the Remembrance match possible.

Scorers

UKAF: Tries: Nayalo, Hayler, Dawson, Vereti. Conversions: J Johnson 3, Hanley.

Belgium: Tries: Ekendahl 2, Fromont 2, Gerard, Opsomer, Moucheron. Conversions: Dehoust 5, Hautier. Penalties: Hautier 2.

Watch the full replay on YouTube

All photos courtesy of Jarrad Hulm, JH Media SW.