A TEAM from Annan Rugby Club is over halfway through cycling 555 miles from Cardiff’s Principality Stadium to Murrayfield as they take part in the Doddie Cup 555 Challenge.
They left on Thursday and are aiming to arrive at Murrayfield in time to watch the Six Nations clash between Scotland and Wales tomorrow.
The route is taking them north through Wales where they will call in at several Welsh rugby clubs as they pass by, they will then cross the country from Wrexham to Darlington via Orrell and Wharfedale Rugby Clubs, before heading north to Edinburgh via Alnwick and Dunbar Rugby Clubs.
The Annan team is captained by Billy Henderson, former player and current Annan girls’ youth coach.
He said: “I have supported this event for a few years and took part last year with an Island of Coll team.
“Out of last year’s bike riders I was the slowest but had so much fun. “This year I hassled Rob Wainwright to allow an Annan team to participate. His only request was that we were all ‘high octane fundraisers’, which with everyone’s help we hopefully will be. “Everyone I asked to join up did so with minimum persuading. It is a special event and we are privileged to be taking part.”
Billy has assembled a fine squad to take on the challenge including former club captains Sean Buckley and Craig McCann, former players Barry Graham, Graeme Hogg, Tom Sloan and Thomas Buckley, former Moffat RFC captain Roy Thorburn and paramedic and supporter of the club Dek Reive in the riding group.
There’s also a ‘cracking’ support team comprising of Skipper Henderson, current 1st XV head coach Gogs Carmichael, former president Gary Coupland, and Andrew Black, a lifelong supporter of the club, who tragically lost his dad to MND several years ago.
The 555 squad would like to thank their sponsors Annan Rugby Club, Atkins, Annandale Distillery, Halbro, Isle of Coll Distillery, Albie Forestry Ltd, Annan Academy (Home Economics Dept), as well as the numerous individuals who have donated so far.
To support Team Annan or any of the individual riders , go to: www.justgiving.com/team/team-annan
