A RUGBY player from York is planning to run hundreds of miles across Australia for charity.

Robbie Dolan, from Holgate, formerly played for York Acorn and York Lokomotives, before moving on to Huddersfield and now to Bedford, where he plays for Bedford Tigers RLFC while working in the broadcast industry.

Robbie is aiming to run 1,118 miles, from Melbourne to Brisbane over 42 days while carrying a rugby ball, in a challenge he has labelled The Longest Try, to coincide with the 2017 Rugby World Cup.

He said: “We may set a new world record, there’s no try to break but it depends of whether it can be ratified by Guinness themselves.

“I’ve been running marathons and ultra marathons for the past five years but need to be a bit more robust so I’ve got a strength and conditioning coach. I’m really enjoying the physical and mental part, but the most difficult part is the logistics and keeping people informed.”

Robbie’s arrival in Brisbane is set to coincide with the final stages of the tournament next year, and he will run more than 30 miles each day a day over 42 days.

The 32-year-old hopes to raise £250,000 for a number of charities in the UK and Australia, including The Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, which supports children with life-changing illnesses.

Robbie said: “It’s a great charity, I met them and spent time talking about how money can change a lot of lives very quickly through family grants and working with children, and it’s an honour to raise money for them.

“It’s going to be difficult, but anything like this wasn’t going to be easy. I’m quite sure, with the support I’m already getting, in six months time I don’t see how this can’t be done. I think it can be done, we can set a new world record and raise a lot of money for worldwide charities.” To follow Robbie’s progress, find out more about the challenge or donate, go to thelongesttry.com or follow him on Twitter @thelongesttry