Some of rugby union's greatest legends will play at Twickenham for the Heroes Rugby Challenge.
Legends sign up for second Help For Heroes game
Some of rugby union's greatest legends will scrum down at Twickenham Stadium in for the 'Heroes Rugby Challenge'.
This year's fixture, which will mark the 10th Anniversary of Britain's Armed Forces Operations in Afghanistan, promises to be an even bigger attraction than the first Help for Heroes match in 2008, when some 52,000 spectators helped raise a staggering £1.46m for Help for Heroes.
England Rugby World Cup-winners, Lawrence Dallaglio and Jason Leonard, as well as Welsh legend, Ieuan Evans, will manage a strong Help for Heroes Northern Hemisphere XV against an all-star Southern Hemisphere outfit, which will be overseen by Australian and All Black World Cup winners Michael Lynagh and Sean Fitzpatrick.
The teams will comprise composite selections of players drawn from the Northern and Southern Hemisphere professional game, the best players from the Armed Forces and the pick of the young 'Academy' players. None of the players will be paid to play.
"Over the past months I have received increasing numbers of requests to stage a second Help for Heroes match to follow the success of the 2008 match," said said Jeff Blackett, chairman of the Heroes Rugby Challenge Committee.
"Although we live in a different economic and social environment three years on, I have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of Help for Heroes, Simon Halliday, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Leonard and Ieuan Evans. They were all cornerstones of 2008 and together we are determined to repeat the success.
"There is a long history and empathy between Rugby and our Armed Forces and we hope the public will respond by coming to watch a top class match between the hemispheres at the same time as showing their support for our service men and women."
Help for Heroes celebrates its fourth birthday in October and the tri-service charity is on the verge of raising an astounding £100m since its launch back in 2007. However, there remains a crucial need for further funding to continue to help those that have been wounded, injured or sick in the line of duty since 9/11.
