My good friend David "Dutch" Holland was a legend of Crowborough Rugby Club. He gave up so much of his time to the club that he had been a member of since the age of 4. He and I were looking to take part in the Mongal Rally together but COVID delayed us and then unfortunately due to his illness, this was never to be.

So, in his memory I organised a challenge that would go some way to emulate the spirit of what we had wanted to do and came up with this Tuk Tuk Challenge. We have 13 teams, driving the length of Sri Lanka in 7 days, covering approximately 500km or more depending on how many times we get lost!

My fellow front row teammate from the British and Irish Wooden Spoon Veterans rugby team, Jon Clements is partnering me on this challenge. The thought of 2 sizeable chaps in a low-powered, 3 wheeled tuktuk, spawned the apt team name the 'Front Row Folly'.

I am in full preparation mode for this challenge. Training in my gym 3 times a week to ensure I have the stamina, swimming twice a week in case of monsoons, and practicing my nationally-renowned sidestep for elephant avoidance tactics.

We have paid for the trip ourselves and all money raised goes directly to Wooden Spoon.

Wooden Spoon is the children’s charity of rugby, funding life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland to support children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage.

We want to do our bit to help make some deserving children's lives better.