TOUCH rugby international Samantha Way has raised almost all the money she needs to travel to the World Cup in New Zealand in January, thanks to the efforts of Swindon Rugby Club.

The 15-year-old from Moredon needed £1,100 for the trip Down Under and big-hearted players at Swindon RFC stepped in to raise the cash.

Samantha launched her career at Swindon when she was 11-years-old, but had to move on to play top level women's rugby.

She now captains Gloucester Under-16s and is in the England squad for the 15-a-side format.

The Swindon club hosted a disco, auction and raffle and the evening was so successful that Samantha now has £956 with the promise of more to come.

She said: "I am nearly there and I am very grateful to Swindon.

"I can't pinpoint anyone to thank. The committee and everybody was so helpful.

"Scott Chapman, who plays for Swindon's first team, took a rugby shirt to a Leicester match and had it signed by the whole team for the auction."

Samantha has been pledged £200 from the raffle of a mountain bike, and club members have been donating books for a sale in the next few weeks.