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UK face USA in flag football showcase

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Men in white football strip doing exercises on a football pitchShaun Whitmore/BBC
The UK team were given expert coaching for the big game

Teams of military personnel from both sides of the Atlantic have faced each other in a football game with a difference.

The squads were coached by American football stars to play flag football at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.

The non-contact version of American football involves players pulling a flag off the person with the ball rather than tackling them.

It is one of the world's fastest-growing sports and has been accepted for the 2028 Olympics.

BBC/Shaun Whitmore Men in green football strip exercising on a football pitchBBC/Shaun Whitmore
The US team were determined to repeat last year's victory

The second annual Salute to Service World Bowl saw Tony Richardson from the New York Jets training American service personnel posted to the UK.

His Jets colleague Erik Coleman took on coaching duties for the UK military team.

Richardson said he was happy to support both the armed forces and the growth of American football in the UK.

"The fan base here is incredible," he said.

"My dad served in the military for 32 years so any time I get a chance to come out and support our military in any capacity, I'm always wanting to do it and willing to do it."

BBC/Shaun Whitmore Tony Richardson wearing white and green cap BBC/Shaun Whitmore
New York Jets player Tony Richardson coached the US team

Richardson added: "I grew up in Frankfurt, Germany, so my football's with your feet and when I got to the United States, I started learning the American game so the fact that it's really grown over here is really great."

BBC/Shaun Whitmore London Murrell with short black hair wearing a green football shirtBBC/Shaun Whitmore
London Murrell is hoping his team will beat the UK boys on the pitch and in the bar

London Murrell, the general manager of the US Visiting Forces team, said: "We want to beat them every year in this competition so we're going to beat them here and we're going to beat them in the bar after!"

BBC/Shaun Whitmore Abe Day with short brown hair wearing a white football shirtBBC/Shaun Whitmore
Abe Day, the UK head coach, said he was pleased to see the teams playing together

Abe Day, the head coach for the UK Armed Forces team, said: "Between the whistles, it's a very competitive match - it was very competitive last time but the attitude and the ethos around the game was always there. It was really good to see UK and US armed forces competing in a positive light.

"We had a really close competition last year - we played three games, we won the last one of the three and the first game was really close so we're confident."

When the final whistle blew. it was victory again for the US team, beating the UK squad by 60 points to 12.

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