Huddersfield Giants’ skipper Danny Brough is a hardman on the field but his wife Jenna is also proving a tough cookie.
Mum-of-two Jenna, 28, completed her first triathlon at the weekend and next month heads for Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, aiming to be part of a Guinness World Record attempt.
Jenna has already conquered challenges such as Ben Nevis and the Three Peaks as part of her bid to raise £5,000 for the Steve Prescott Foundation, set up in memory for the former RL ace who died of cancer.
Jenna completed the swim, cycle and run at St Helens on Sunday and now heads to Tanzania with 37 others, many of them former RL players, to climb Kilimanjaro.
Once at the 5,760 metre summit the group – including Jenna – will aim to set a new world record for the “world’s highest rugby game.”
Stars including Lee Briers, Adrian Morley, Neil Harmon and Barry McDermott will take to the field to stage a full 13-a-side, 80-minute match refereed by Super League official Robert Hicks.
Jenna, who only plays tag rugby in the back garden with sons William, nine, and Harry, five, is not sure what to expect and said: “I can’t wait for the challenge of Kilimanjaro but when it comes to playing rugby at altitude I might need more than oxygen.
“I’m not even sure if playing for 80 minutes will be possible.”
Jenna, though, proved herself with her triathlon heroics. She completed the full Olympic event’s 1.5km (one mile) open water swim, 40km (25 mile) bike ride and 10km (six mile) run in an impressive three hours and 35 minutes.
“It was hard,” she said. “And it wasn’t just physical. It was hard mentally and emotionally. Steve’s wife Linzi gave us an emotional send off and I was crying all the way round on the bike.”
Though Jenna had trained in the pool for the swim it was her first time in open water, and wearing a wet suit.
The swim took place on Eccleston Mere in St Helens and Jenna said: “There were 195 people taking part and I was advised to start at the back to avoid being hit by people’s arms and legs.
“I did start at the back but I was still hit and kicked. I would have completed the triathlon a lot quicker but I spent six minutes faffing around trying to get my wet suit off!
“I’d never worn a wet suit and it only arrived four days before. I practised taking it on and off at home but it’s completely different when it’s full of water!”
Jenna said she hated the triathlon at the time and vowed she’d never do another.
“Then I woke up on Monday morning and couldn’t wait for the next one,” she said. “Looks like I have the bug.”
Unfortunately, the triathlon season is nearly over and Kilimanjaro looms on October 13.
Danny played with Steve Prescott at Wakefield and the former St Helens and Hull FC star died of pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare abdominal cancer, in November 2013.
It has just been revealed that Mr Prescott underwent five experimental transplants to help other patients in the three weeks before his death.
His pancreas, duodenum, small bowel, stomach and stomach wall were all transplanted and that pioneering surgery led to a successful multi-organ transplant for another sufferer, Claire Place, who is now fit and well.
To help Jenna reach her target go to www.justgiving.com/jenna-brough/
