In 1891 the Le Havre Athletic Club adopted the colours of the English universities where the players had studied: the famous light blue of Cambridge and dark blue of Oxford. Between 1872 and 1894, the team played a “combination” form of the sport which blended the rules of soccer and rugby, both of which had been invented in England. The club applied for official recognition in 1894, and then split into two sections, one for soccer and one for rugby. The soccer section was very successful, winning national championships in 1899 and 1900. The rugby section was boosted by the arrival of new British players in the late 1890s.