Rugby internationals swap boots for bikes

With virtually no cycling experience between the four of them, a quartet of Scotland rugby stars biked the 234 miles of the Caledonian Way for charity at the weekend, writes Fiona Scott.

Ruaridh Jackson, who earned 33 caps between 2010 and 2018; Richie Vernon, the first man to go to World Cups for Scotland as a forward then as a back; Ryan Grant, the former Scotland prop and 2009 Lions tourist and Andrew Easson, the former Edinburgh and Scotland Sevens player, were hoping to raise £5,000 in aid of Doddie Weir’s My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Unite Against Cancer.

At the weekend the four intrepid cyclists passed through Fort William on their way to Fort Augustus as part of the ride from Campbeltown to Inverness that by Monday had already raised more than £7,000. Taking a break at Gairlochy on

Saturday, Vernon, who retired at the end of the current 2018/19 season after a 13-year career that saw him play for Glasgow Warriors, Sale Sharks and London Scottish, as well as earn 24 caps for Scotland, told the Lochaber Times the cycle had gone well so far.

‘We have been really cracking on and making good time. This is a bit different from our usual training and activity, so our legs are getting quite sore and it can be hard going tackling the inclines,’ he said.

‘We are really enjoying it and love the sections on the cycle path – especially the flat bits and have avoided using the road wherever we can.’

Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba.photos Making a brief stop by the canal side at Gairlochy are, from left, Andrew Easson, Ryan Grant, Richie Vernon and Ruaridh Jackson.