Washington, DC (September 23, 2012) – One of the country’s most spirited and respected rivalries will take center stage when the Army Black Knights of West Point face the US Naval Academy Midshipmen in men’s collegiate rugby at 1:00 pm EDT on Saturday, Oct. 23 at FedExField.

This will serve as a curtain-raiser for the 1874 Cup featuring the Team USA Eagles vs. New Zealand All Blacks match set for 3:00 pm EDT, also at FedEx Field.

“We’re thrilled and grateful to be a part of this historic event in a phenomenal venue. We also very much appreciate the opportunity to share the fierce Army-Navy rivalry with a broader rugby fan base in an event that will attract global attention,” said Matt Sherman, Army Head Coach

“We’re very excited to face Army as part of the 1874 Cup celebrations. FedExField in our nation’s capital is a fitting venue for the Cadets of West Point and the Midshipmen of Annapolis to square off against each other in another round of our fiercely contested rivalry,” added Gavin Hickie, Navy’s Director of Rugby. “We want to offer our deepest thanks to the Washington Football Team, Events DC, Left Field Live along with the USA Eagles and New Zealand All Blacks for working so hard to make this special event happen. Go Navy, Beat Army.”

No matter the sport, the venue in which it’s played or each team’s records, the Army-Navy rivalry always embodies the best of competition by displaying mutual respect and honor that helps provide a great experience for fans on each side. Both teams are undefeated this fall with Army boasting wins over Queens University Charlotte and Notre Dame College, while Navy has defeated Air Force and St. Bonaventure.

Looking ahead to a busy fall with qualification for the 2023 France Rugby World Cup as a prime objective, the United States are excited to be hosting New Zealand as they lead the effort to bring the Rugby World Cup to the United States in 2027 or 2031 for the men and 2029 for the women.

Seeing these two highly-anticipated matchups on the same day at the same venue is a can't-miss for any rugby fan. See the Midshipmen against the Black Knights, and then see the the legendary All Blacks make their debut in the nation’s capital, and their first visit back to the States since 2016, against the USA.

For tickets to both games, visit Ticketmaster.com here>>