Walking rugby players in Gloucestershire will be taking on a new challenge tomorrow.

They will be attempting to climb three peaks and although it won’t be the normal Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike challenge, it’s still a more than decent test because they will be taking on Coopers, Robinswood and Chosen hills.

Those three hills can all be found in and around Gloucester – combined height around 2,000 feet – and the walkers will set off tomorrow from Roman Villa car park below Coopers Hill at 10am.

They are hoping to raise around £500 for Red Nose Day, which this year takes place on Friday 15th March.

Walking rugby is for people aged 55 or more and Paul Thompson, who is communications officer for the Gloucester Walking Rugby ‘The Relics’, said: “Despite having non-walking rugby players also participating in the three peaks challenge the average age is nearer 70 than 60.”

Walking rugby has become popular in the county since it was established by the Gloucester Rugby Community Team over two years ago.

The community team continue to support it today, running sessions in Gloucester every Wednesday and they have since started sessions in Stroud, Tewkesbury and Winchcombe.

Paul Thompson, a former loosehead prop at Longlevens and Old Cryptians, is 58 and is one of those who has enjoyed a new lease of life since taking up the sport.

So how does it work?

“Teams are made up of a maximum of seven players and it’s simple to play,” he explained. “There are two-man scrums but there is no pushing.

“To make a tackle you have to put two hands on a player’s shorts and if you are tackled you must stop.

“It’s touch rugby and we play for an hour, it’s a good workout.”

And it’s good fun too.

“Me and about three others play in glasses,” chuckled Thompson. “And you’re not allowed to run. Colin Reeves of the Gloucester Referees’ Society referees some of our games and he gets fed up telling us not to run!”

Mind you, it’s understandable that the players still try to break into a trot, of course, especially some of the former Gloucester players who have embraced the sport such as Phil Pritchard and Paul Williams, who are both also on the committee of the Gloucester Players’ Association which has been instrumental in raising the profile of walking rugby.

Aubrey Norton of Spartans and Gloucester, whose son Dan is an England Sevens player, also plays and they are certainly kept active because they play regular matches against other teams – they played Salisbury at Oxstalls yesterday morning.

“We played in a tournament at Keynsham recently and also play Newent quite often,” added Thompson.

The Relics now also play on a Tuesday evening which is for those players who can’t play on a Wednesday. Tuesday’s kit was provided by Age UK.

“We want as many people to play the sport as possible,” added Tomo, who said that anyone – men and women – can play the sport.

It’s also a sport for all abilities.

“I rarely played first-team rugby when I was younger, only if there were injuries,” said Thompson, before adding with a laugh, “or if we were playing Matson or Coney Hill!”

Anyone who wants to know more about walking rugby should email the team at glosrelics@gmail.com