Former Exeter Chiefs star Simon Alcott scales new heights

A man mountain himself on the field, former Exeter Chiefs star Simon Alcott has himself been scaling new heights recently as part of a fundraising scheme for the charity Restart Rugby.

Having been forced to quit the professional game last season through injury, Alcott chose the official Rugby Players’ Association charity to benefit from his sterling efforts to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.

During the very early hours of Sunday 22 September – a very tired posse of Devon’s finest ‘brave-lads’ picked their way along the lofty summit ridge of the iconic mountain.

Former hooker Simon, who played a total of 71 times for the Chiefs, joined local Adventurer Paul Mattin and four Royal Marines on this very special quest.

The expedition was one of recovery and re-calibration; as all the lads on the trip have recently experienced tough-times as a result of their challenging careers. Simon, who has been forced to quit the game he loved, rubbed-shoulders with the quartet of RM Commandos – all who were in need of a proper break following recent Afghanistan deployments.

After a short Safari, visits to local (muddy) watering-holes and a brief taste of relative luxury, the intrepid team set-off on the Lemosho Trail; Kilimanjaro’s longest and most beautiful route.

Eight days of relentless banter, little tents and mountains of carbohydrates, saw the posse scaling Kili’s flank in some style. All succeeded – but even more importantly – all enjoyed the opportunity to share stories about their on-going rehabilitation and share plans for the future.

Simon wished to say a huge thanks to the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) and his former team-mates at the Chiefs for their help and encouragement (particularly Haydn, Roseanne and Twiggsy). However, as is the case with so many players who suddenly find themselves facing a fresh challenge, life isn’t a walk in the park.

Morale support is key and the opportunity to tackle Kili has been a part of the change process. If you’d like to escape on an adventure yourself, why not visit www.wilderness-solutions.co.uk and engage in a little fundraising for your charity and start ‘Living the Dream’ this year.