Ahead of England Rugby's match against France, Nick Anderton, General Counsel at England Rugby’s official Technical Kit Partner Castore, will embark on a two-wheeled Six Nations journey to Paris in aid of the RFU Injured Players Foundation.
The charity cycle route will cover 200 miles from the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, to Stade de France, with the first leg involving 68 miles to Newhaven, via Brighton, to catch the 23:00 ferry to France.
Nick, expects the ride to take just under two and a half days, cycling for eight hours per day.
If he keeps to this timetable, he should arrive at Stade de France in plenty of time to recover his breath, buy a match day programme and be in his seat ready for kick-off.
Speaking to IPF Ambassador and rugby commentator Nick Mullins ahead of his departure, Nick explained why he was so determined to take on this mammoth cycle for the RFU Injured Players Foundation, saying:
“I love the sport and I love England Rugby, so taking on this challenge felt like a really positive way to support the game and give something back. I’m very aware that I’m fortunate to be able to take on something like this, and that many players who have sustained a life-changing injury simply can’t, which is why the work of the RFU Injured Players Foundation is so important.
“The Foundation provides vital, longterm support for players at every level of the game, from the amateur community through to the professional ranks, as well as their families. Working at Castore, as England Rugby’s official technical kit partner, it was important to me to support England Rugby’s official charity and reflect the rugby family ethos of looking after each other.”
The IPF supports players at any level of the game who have sustained an acute life-changing injury while playing rugby union in England.
Thankfully, such injuries are extremely rare in the sport. However, if an accident does happen, the IPF is on hand to provide wide-ranging support for the injured player and their family for life if needed.
Support includes immediate assistance in hospital, ensuring access to the most appropriate medical care, as well as emotional, practical and financial assistance to fulfil unmet needs, for example relating to additional rehabilitation, housing adaptations or specialised equipment.
The Foundation also funds research to improve injury management and to reduce the risk of catastrophic injury occurring in the game.
If you would like to support Nick’s challenge and the injured players he is fundraising for, please head to Nick’s justgiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/nick-anderton-twickenhamtoparis2026
