The annual Army versus the Navy rugby battle, which attracts tens of thousands of partying military personnel, is returning to Twickenham on Saturday.

The event has long been a nightmare for residents of Twickenham and Richmond given a record of widespread drunkenness, antisocial behaviour and violence.

The event on Saturday is the first military match at the home of rugby for two years after the fixtures in both 2020 and 2021 were cancelled because of the pandemic.

The omens are not good given the last time the match went ahead in 2019 there were complaints that fans see it as a 'drunken, al fresco fancy dress party'.

Richmond Council chiefs have called for the annual match to be shared around all the home nations – Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – who contribute personnel to the British military. This would mean Twickenham is only used once every four years.

This idea has been reiterated this week by the deputy leader of the council, Alexander Ehmann. He told bosses at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) at a recent briefing that the fixture should not be held at Twickenham every year and, instead, rotated through the home nations.

Following the 2019 fixture, residents were upset by fans passing out in the street and urinating in gardens.

Council leader, Gareth Roberts, complained that the area was 'trashed' by fans.

At the time, he called on the RFU to provide assurances that residents would 'not experience another day of drunken, loutish behaviour which brings the RFU and our armed services personnel into disrepute'.

He added: "Match attendees now see this event primarily as a drunken, al fresco fancy dress party with the rugby match itself being of secondary importance."

Mr Roberts said residents of the area are proud to be the home of rugby, however "When they see their town being trashed by people attending the Army v Navy game they find their pride and goodwill being put to the test.

"We have long held the belief that, if it is to continue, then the fixture should be rotated among other stadia and we will be putting that case to the RFU."

England Rugby has put newsletters through the doors of residents around the borough to offer reassurance.

It says: "We know that this match is an extremely busy one around Twickenham and the RFU, Army v Navy Committee, Richmond and Hounslow councils, Metropolitan police and Licensees have all worked together to try to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible."

It promised improvements, adding: "We have taken account of learnings from previous years and resident feedback to put in place measure which are designed to make the day as enjoyable as possible for everyone."

These include extra police and stewards; enhanced cleaning and removal of litter and the closure of bars in the stadium prior to the match starting.

The men's match will kick-off at 2pm to be followed by the women's fixture at 4.30pm.