We're honoured that legendary Scottish rugby half-backs Andy Nicol and Gregor Townsend have reunited to become Ambassadors to 40tude, to help cure bowel cancer in memory of their former teammate, the late Tom Smith.

Andy and Gregor's former teammate, Tom Smith, was an Ambassador for 40tude until he died of bowel cancer aged 50 in April 2022. They wish to honour Tom’s legacy and continue the work that he started.

• Legendary Scottish half-backs Gregor Townsend and Andy Nicol played together 13 times for Scotland
• Gregor won 82 caps for Scotland and is now the Scotland Rugby Head Coach.  He played with Tom Smith at club level at Northampton and Brive, and most famously they played together for the 1997 British & Irish Lions when the team beat the Springboks 2-1
• Andy is a legend of the game with 23 caps for Scotland, seven as captain, most memorably in 2000 when they beat England to win the Calcutta Cup. He toured with British & Irish Lions twice and played for World XV which beat the All Blacks in New Zealand He was also the first British player to lift the Heineken Cup when captain of Bath in 1998.  He is currently a pundit for BBC and BT Sport and a columnist for the Scottish Daily Mail
• Andy was a team-mate of Tom Smith’s from school days, when the pair played together for Midlands Schools, all the way through Scotland age-grade teams, in senior rugby for Dundee High School FP, and ultimately for the full Scotland team

“It’s a great honour to take on the role of ambassador for 40tude and I look forward to teaming up with Andy," said Gregor at the time of our announcement. "It’s a huge privilege to be carrying on the work of Tom Smith, who was supremely brave and talented in equal measure both on and off the rugby pitch.”

“40tude have a unique approach to bowel cancer, which is based on real challenges, real projects, real results. Those involved know that their donations will deliver concrete results. This is a role and responsibility I’m very proud to undertake.”

Comments Andy, “I am proud to be an Ambassador for 40tude to continue the memory of my friend and former teammate Tom Smith. I love how people get so connected with 40tude, whether it is the physical challenges they do or just fundraising and it is because everything 40tude does makes a tangible difference: real challenges, real projects, real results!”

Ambassadors to be actively involved in raising awareness and funds for 40tude

As Ambassadors, both Gregor and Andy are committed to being actively involved in 40tude, including taking part in challenges and events, and promoting our key messages about the vital importance of bowel cancer screening.

They are planning a special 40tude challenge in 2024 around Bordeaux where Tom lived and where his family still live.

Gregor and Andy will both be regularly visiting St Mark’s Hospital, the National Bowel Hospital, in North West London to meet the leading medics and clinical research fellows in this cancer specialism, and to follow the progress of the research projects being funded by 40tude.

“We are thrilled that Andy and Gregor have decided to honour the legacy of our former Ambassador, Tom Smith," says Gordon Moore, Chair of trustees of 40tude. 

"Tom was determined that as many people as possible would learn how to spot the symptoms of bowel cancer and would appreciate the vital importance of screening.  Andy and Gregor’s impressive commitment to become 40tude Ambassadors will surely help to achieve Tom’s and 40tude’s goals.” 

To find out more about colon cancer, the work of 40tude and how to get involved in our events, please take a look around our website.

Know the symptoms of colon cancer

Get screened for colon cancer

Make a donation to 40tude

Thank you to David Gibson / Fotosport for the use of the photo of Tom Smith