Just Stop Oil pitch invaders met their match at Twickenham today as burly rugby players helped security staff take them away after they disrupted the Premiership Cup Final.
The protesters stormed the pitch shortly after the game between Sale Sharks and Saracens got underway, to a chorus of boos from furious rugby fans. Crowds were soon cheering triumphantly as quick-thinking staff removed them from the pitch.
England and Sale player Tom Curry, who weighs in at a whopping 17st and towers over most at 6ft 1in, lifted one of the protesters by his trousers as he gave staff a hand in removing him from the pitch.
The climate activists who struck at the home of English rugby have been identified as Bristol GP Dr Patrick Hart, 37, and Sam Johnson, 40, a construction worker from Essex.
They ran towards the middle of the ground, where the ball was at the time, releasing the distinctive orange powder JSO activists also unleashed at the Chelsea Flower Show and recent snooker world championship.
Sale Sharks player, Tom Curry gave the stewards a hand as they unceremoniously hauled one of the protesters off the pitch
One of the activists was lifted into the air by stewards and even Sale Sharks player, Tom Curry gave them a hand
Jono Ross, a Sale player gets hold of a 'Just stop oil' protester during the Gallagher Premiership rugby final
A protester stormed the pitch midway through the first half of the match between Sale and Saracens
The pitch invaders were pelted with beer by furious rugby fans after they disrupted the match
Crowds cheered his exit as rugby players intervened to drag him out of the stadium
The protesters stormed the pitch midway through the first half of the match between Sale and Saracens
Just Stop Oil said two protesters disrupted the Gallagher Premiership Rugby final
Just Stop Oil said two protesters disrupted the Gallagher Premiership Rugby final just 15 minutes into the match
The protesters released orange powder onto the pitch
The game had to be stopped, and wasn't restarted again until quick-thinking stewards and security staff intervened to drag the disruptors out of the stadium.
Sales player Tom Curry, 24, whose twin brother Ben also plays for the union team, picked up the leg of one protester as staff lifted up his arms to get him off the pitch.
Other players who got stuck in evicting the disruptors, according to reports, were England second row Maro Itoje and Sale Sharks captain Jono Ross.
Ross, who was taking part in the final match of his career, had to be stopped from physically engaging with one of the protesters, the Telegraph reports.
Just Stop Oil said two protesters disrupted the Gallagher Premiership Rugby final just 15 minutes into the match.
They said their activists did so to demand a halt to new licences for oil, gas and coal projects in the UK.
One of the men who invaded the pitch is Dr Patrick Hart, 37, according to the climate action group.
The GP from Bristol said he was staging the protest 'because it's my duty as a doctor' to draw attention to the climate crisis, 'the greatest health crisis humanity has ever faced'.
Orange powder filled the air after the protesters released it while play was underway at Twickenham
One of the protesters emptied a pouch of powder onto the pitch
The family doctor from Knowle has also staged demonstrations as part of Extinction Rebellion in the past.
Last year he was part of a group of 30 healthcare workers who blocked Lambeth Bridge with a banner that read: 'For Health's Sake. Stop financing fossil fuels'.
He was one of seven arrested and was charged with a public order offence and ended up before City of London magistrates in November, where he was acquitted.
The other man who stormed the pitch today was Sam Johnson, 40, a construction worker from Essex.
Twickenham stewards made sure the game could go on by removing them from the pitch.
The protesters were showered with beer by furious crowds as they were taken out of the stadium.
Referee Luke Pearce stopped play for several minutes as the protesters were taken off the pitch.
Protesters disrupted the rugby union match between Saracens and Sale Sharks at Twickenham Stadium
The protesters ran onto the pitch as the match was underway
The men were dragged away by Twickenham stewards
Orange powder filled the air in Twickenham stadium
A 'Just Stop Oil' protestor invades the pitch and is apprehended by stewards
A statement from Twickenham Stadium read: 'Twickenham Stadium can confirm two people have been arrested and this is now a police matter.
'We would like to thank our stewarding team who acted decisively and swiftly.'
It comes after three activists struck at the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this week.
They were hosed down by an irate visitor after they threw orange 'biodegradable cornstarch' over the flowers and hard landscaping of the RBC Brewin Dolphin garden.
Met Police officers arrested the women soon after for criminal damage.
They were named by JSO as Stephanie Golder, 35, Naomi Goddard, 58, a retired landscape engineer, and Rosa Hicks, 28.
