Teignmouth’s reputation for nurturing rugby talent has been captured in a painting that is being raffled to raise money for two local charities.

The painting, called ‘Five Guys’, features a quintet of players who started their careers at Teignmouth Rugby Club before ascending to the premiership and beyond.

Painted by artist Andrew Lewis (Artarl), ‘Five Guys’ features Tom Cairns, Ben Coen, Max Norey, and brothers, Joe and Sam Simmonds. The work is being raffled via the Crowdfunder website to raise funds for Devon Air Ambulance and Children’s Hospice South West.

Andrew Lewis was commissioned to paint the picture by James Mayne, captain of Teignmouth Golf Club, who wanted to recognise the achievements of the Five Guys and acknowledge their close links to the town and its sporting clubs.

James, who has close links to the rugby community, was able to engage Tom, Ben, Max, Joe and Sam and they kindly obliged his request to sign the original work prior to it being framed

The painting is a montage of the ‘Five Guys’ in the strip of the team at which they have played their highest level of rugby to date. Each player is shown in action with a ball in hand, making a dynamic image. The red and black background represents the colours of Teignmouth Rugby Club. A banner running along the bottom of the picture reads: ‘To a man did their journeys embark, on the hallowed grounds of Bitton Park’. The words reflect how Teignmouth Rugby Club’s home ground at Bitton Park links the five despite them playing in different teams at different times over the past decade. Bitton Park is also a landing site for Devon Air Ambulance.

The 800 mmx 290mm painting is professionally mounted and framed and protected behind UV art glass to prevent fading.

Devon Air Ambulance and Children’s Hospice South West are the two official charities supported by Teignmouth Golf Club this year, after they were selected by the men’s and ladies’ captains.

Devon Air Ambulance provides critical care to those in urgent need by land and air across Devon and beyond.

Children’s Hospice South West offers palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care for life limited and terminally ill children and their families in the southwest.

The draw will take place on October 18 and tickets cost £10 each. Tickets are available from: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/five-guys-an-original-signed-painting

Both Sam and Joe Simmonds currently play in France: back row Sam for Montpellier and fly half Joe for Paloise. After growing up in Teignmouth Sam and Joe were part of the Chiefs team that achieved the Premiership and Champions Cup double in 2020. Both gained England caps and Sam was part of the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa.

Scrum half Tom Cairns and hooker Max Norey played for Teignmouth as boys before being picked up by the Exeter Chiefs academy programme. Both are currently signed with the Chiefs. Tom made his premiership debut against Saracens in 2022 while Max played his first Chiefs match in 2019 against the Bristol Bears.