They have faced each other in battle many times, but on Wednesday night the rivalry between the Royal Navy and French Marine Nationale erupted in hostilites on the rugby field.
A match between the two navies in the southern city of Toulon was marred by a punch up which involved many of the players on each side.
Video of the fight - which isn't the first Battle of Toulon between the two navies - showed many of the Royal Navy, in grey, and French navy, in blue, trading blows and grappling.
The fight had happened in Toulon on Wednesday night in an annual match between the navies nicknamed "Le Crunch".
Suffice it to say that the British and the French still do not like each other very much...
Mass rugby punch up between Royal Navy and French Navy
New Battle of Toulon between the British and the French as rugby match erupts in pitch brawl
By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent
24 Mar 2016
The Telegraph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6DRNPIgOOY#nf
They have faced each other in battle many times, but on Wednesday night the rivalry between the Royal Navy and French Marine Nationale erupted in hostilites on the rugby field.
A match between the two navies in the southern city of Toulon was marred by a punch up which involved many of the players on each side.
Video of the fight showed many of the Royal Navy, in grey, and French navy, in blue, trading blows and grappling.
Royal Navy Rugby
@RNRugby
Congratulations to both teams who produced an excellent game of rugby. That is all from Stade Mayol. http://fb.me/3THFd58Pp
7:01 PM - 23 Mar 2016
4 Retweets
The fight had happened in Toulon on Wednesday night in an annual match between the navies nicknamed "Le Crunch".
One Naval source said: "It kicked off a bit during the match, but they calmed down and the match was finished. They all went for a drink afterwards and there were no hard feelings."
When the match continued after the fight, it ended with a heavy 28-6 defeat for the Royal Navy team captained by Ben Priddey.
Royal Navy Rugby
@RNRugby
Marine Nationale retain the Babcock International Trophy and level the series 6-6 http://fb.me/78xK4RURA
6:56 PM - 23 Mar 2016
1 Retweet
The match was the latest round in the annual contest nicknamed Le Crunch between the two navies, for the Babcock International Trophy.
Toulon is considered the spiritual home of the French navy and hosts its main southern base.
The annual contest began in 2005 and the overall score is currently 6-6.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident at a rugby match between the Royal Navy and the Marine Nationale in Toulon, France. We understand the match continued without further incident and the two sides socialised together after the game.”
Britain and France fought for real in Toulon during the French Revolutionary Wars, with the clash forging the reputation of a previously unknown young artillery officer called Napoleon Bonaparte.
French royalist counter-revolutionaries handed over the port’s naval base and arsenal to an Anglo-Spanish fleet in August 1793, leading to a siege by Revolutionary forces.
Bonaparte successfully attacked the allied-held forts and fired on the British fleet commanded by Lord Hood. The British blew up the arsenal, burned 42 French ships and then withdrew taking as many royalist French as they could carry.
Video: Mass rugby punch up between Royal Navy and French navy - Telegraph
A match between the two navies in the southern city of Toulon was marred by a punch up which involved many of the players on each side.
Video of the fight - which isn't the first Battle of Toulon between the two navies - showed many of the Royal Navy, in grey, and French navy, in blue, trading blows and grappling.
The fight had happened in Toulon on Wednesday night in an annual match between the navies nicknamed "Le Crunch".
Suffice it to say that the British and the French still do not like each other very much...
Mass rugby punch up between Royal Navy and French Navy
New Battle of Toulon between the British and the French as rugby match erupts in pitch brawl
By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent
24 Mar 2016
The Telegraph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6DRNPIgOOY#nf
They have faced each other in battle many times, but on Wednesday night the rivalry between the Royal Navy and French Marine Nationale erupted in hostilites on the rugby field.
A match between the two navies in the southern city of Toulon was marred by a punch up which involved many of the players on each side.
Video of the fight showed many of the Royal Navy, in grey, and French navy, in blue, trading blows and grappling.
Royal Navy Rugby @RNRugby
Congratulations to both teams who produced an excellent game of rugby. That is all from Stade Mayol. http://fb.me/3THFd58Pp
7:01 PM - 23 Mar 2016
4 Retweets
The fight had happened in Toulon on Wednesday night in an annual match between the navies nicknamed "Le Crunch".
One Naval source said: "It kicked off a bit during the match, but they calmed down and the match was finished. They all went for a drink afterwards and there were no hard feelings."
When the match continued after the fight, it ended with a heavy 28-6 defeat for the Royal Navy team captained by Ben Priddey.
Royal Navy Rugby @RNRugby
Marine Nationale retain the Babcock International Trophy and level the series 6-6 http://fb.me/78xK4RURA
6:56 PM - 23 Mar 2016
1 Retweet
The match was the latest round in the annual contest nicknamed Le Crunch between the two navies, for the Babcock International Trophy.
Toulon is considered the spiritual home of the French navy and hosts its main southern base.
The annual contest began in 2005 and the overall score is currently 6-6.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident at a rugby match between the Royal Navy and the Marine Nationale in Toulon, France. We understand the match continued without further incident and the two sides socialised together after the game.”
Britain and France fought for real in Toulon during the French Revolutionary Wars, with the clash forging the reputation of a previously unknown young artillery officer called Napoleon Bonaparte.
French royalist counter-revolutionaries handed over the port’s naval base and arsenal to an Anglo-Spanish fleet in August 1793, leading to a siege by Revolutionary forces.
Bonaparte successfully attacked the allied-held forts and fired on the British fleet commanded by Lord Hood. The British blew up the arsenal, burned 42 French ships and then withdrew taking as many royalist French as they could carry.
Video: Mass rugby punch up between Royal Navy and French navy - Telegraph
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