LONDON Irish tight head prop Geoff Cross marked reaching his year-long fundraising target of £10,000 by shaving off his beard.
The Scotland international agreed to part with his beard if he raised the desired amount, and on Tuesday ahead of London Irish's European Challenge Cup quarter final against Edinburgh, he stayed true to his word.
The generous donations and gift aid will go to Wooden Spoon, which transforms the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the Britain and Ireland through the power of rugby.
Cross’s fundraising will support the charity's Arctic Rugby Challenge.
Former rugby player John Houston's is taking part, aiming to raise £50,000 for the charity by trekking to the North Pole with ten other challengers to set the Guinness World Record for playing the northern most rugby match in history.