Rugby Football Union - Cystic Fibrosis team beat MPs in Twickenham Charity match

Cystic Fibrosis team beat MPs in Twickenham Charity match


	Ten out of ten for charity: Andrew and Josh Jones photo by GPA Images

April 15, 2007

A team of rugby fans took on the Commons and Lords RFC at a charity rugby match held at Twickenham today to help raise awareness and funds for people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), the UK's most common life-threatening inherited disease.

The CF team scored three tries to one to secure a 17-7 victory over the MPs, who were led on the day by honorary captain Rob Andrew. Lining up opposite Rob Andrew was 20-year-old singer-songwriter Joshua Jones who suffers from the disease.


Commons and Lords team photo by GPA Images

Said honorary captain Rob Andrew, who slotted his team’s conversion, “We were delighted to host this match here at Twickenham to highlight the work of the CF Trust. The CF Trust does a fantastic job and it was a pleasure to play them today to raise the profile of this terrible disease."


	Ikram Butt at Twickenham photo by GPA Images

Among those lining up alongside Andrew on the Commons and Lords team were Lord Dominic Addington (Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Sport and Disability in the Lords), Andy Reed (Labour and Co-operative MP for Loughborough), John Randall (MP for Uxbridge) and Ikram Butt the former England rugby league player and Managing Director of the British Asian Rugby Association).

Sarah Guthrie, Director of Fundraising at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said: “We were absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to host this match at Twickenham and would like to thank the RFU, Commons and Lords RFC and Promptpayer for their support, as well as our team who all made a donation in exchange for taking part. It was a great game, and money raised will help those with CF look forward to a brighter future and a longer and better quality of life."

Commons and Lords RFC
Alex Murphy (RFU Council Member for Notts, Lincs and Derby)
Paul Derrett
Steve Mitchell, Skills Active
John Hanlon
Mike Penning Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead
Martin Sutcliffe
Rob Booth
Chris Moon
Paul Farrelly Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme
John Randall Conservative MP for Uxbridge
Rob Andrew Elite Rugby Director, RFU
Andy Reed Labour & Co-operative MP for Loughborough
Rob Wilson Conservative MP for Reading East
Andy Baker
John Heaton
Liam Maguire Political Secretary to Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford
Greg Mulholland Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds West
James Meller Assistant to David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party
Alex Jackman Researcher
Paul Brennan Intern Assistant to Alistair Burt, Conservative MP for North East Bedfordshire
Mathew Sumner
Tom Freer
Mark Ramsdale
Lord Dominic Addington

Cystic Fibrosis Trust team
The CF Trust team comprised representatives from City based financial firms and a number of key corporate supporters of the CF Trust.

Joshua Jones – Singer-songwriter and adult with CF
Mark Flower
Colin Robinson
Daniel Brown
Sean Garvey
Andy Gardner
Nick Liddle
Nic Taft
Johnny Allen
Simon Crick
Michael Reed
Mat Hearne
Patrick Jawich
Nic Scott RFU Equity, Welfare and Medical Manager
Chris Allen
Mark Llewellyn-Jones
William Wood
Traver Smart
Jonathan Maycock
Fraser Hill
Patrick Garvey
Luke Maguire
Nick Dray
Jonathan Addo
Richard Edelmann
Simon Anstall
Mark Shearer

Cystic Fibrosis
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK’s only national charity dealing with all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited disease. Cystic Fibrosis is caused by a single defective gene. As a result, the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, become clogged with thick sticky mucus resulting in chronic infections and inflammation in the lungs and difficulty digesting food.

Each week five babies are born with Cystic Fibrosis and three young people die – 90% from lung damage. Average life expectancy is just 31, although improvements in treatments mean a baby born today is expected to live longer.