Referee Allen all set to take the whistle in Wooden Spoon Everest challenge

Every game of rugby needs a referee – even if you’re a charity breaking all the established rules on Mount Everest.

That’s the role of Edinburgh official Graham Allen in the Wooden Spoon Everest Rugby Challenge, a Guinness World Record attempt at 6,500m altitude set for April 2019.

Allen, from Corstorphine, has enjoyed a long career in rugby having risen to officiate in Heineken Cup, IRB Sevens and Commonwealth Games matches.

Now his passion takes him to Tibetan Advanced Base Camp as part of a 30-strong group aiming to play the highest-ever touch and full contact games under World Rugby laws.

“This challenge is going to be unique and as a referee, I couldn’t not be involved,” Allen said.

“That’s not just because of the bragging rights I’ll have in the refereeing community!

“It’s why we’re doing the challenge, to help a shedload of kids with special needs, with 95% of the money we raise going to them and their families.

“It’s dawned on me that this is real now, this is happening. I don’t think there’s going to be much running around going on at 6,500 metres!

“There isn’t much tension in the group and everyone is on the same page – that’s nice to see as a referee.”

The matches will bid to break the record set by the Steve Prescott Foundation at 5,752 metres up Kilimanjaro in 2015.

Each of the 30 challengers has been set a funding target of £10,000, to be used by Wooden Spoon to help young people with disabilities and facing disadvantage in the UK and Ireland.

Teams will be captained by a clutch of rugby stars including Shane Williams, Wales’ leading try-scorer, World Cup winner Andy Gomarsall and England Women legend Tamara Taylor.

Taylor, England’s second-most capped international having represented her country 115 times, led a weekend of intense altitude training in the Lake District on September 22-23.

The former World Cup winner admitted to a degree of trepidation over the challenge but pointed to an already-strong spirit in the group.

“I’m really excited to be involved and honoured to have the role of captain,” said the 36-year-old.

“It’s a unique group and in the Lake District we’ve already bonded. We have people from all walks of life coming together to raise money for an amazing charity in Wooden Spoon.

“It’s scary when you see the equipment we’ll need to survive in minus 20 degrees and some of the symptoms of altitude sickness.

“We’re all going to pull together. The strongest in the pack will pull the weakest along and help each other out. I can’t wait.”

Support us in the LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge to help change the lives of children and young people with disabilities and facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland – visit woodenspoon.org.uk/Everest #everestrugby