A WOMEN’S rugby team have ditched the scrums and bared their bums for a saucy calendar.

The University of Sussex Women’s Rugby team got their kit off around Brighton and Hove to raise money for charity.

The profits will go to the Tag Rugby Trust, which helps develop deprived communities home and abroad through rugby. The girls also hope to raise enough money to travel to Uganda to carry out aid work.

Anna Clarke, 19, co-captain of the squad and a second-year business and management student, organised the calendar after being sent a similar gift from a team at the University of Edinburgh.

She said: “The first thing the girls asked me was ‘is it going to be decent?’ “I explained that it’s done really nicely and that everything is covered up, so the girls were quite excited.

“We shot them all at different times, but we did the one on the rugby pitch first and everyone was involved in that, which was nice.”

One of the most troublesome months to shoot was the one which features the girls in front of the West Pier.

The girls gathered on the empty beach at 4pm as the sun was setting.

But by the end of the shoot they had a few spectators.

She added: “We got lucky with the cover shot on the University of Sussex sign because we did it at about 7.30am and just as we were getting dressed back into our clothes a full rush-hour train came past.

“I’m really pleased with how it has turned out and I’m really proud of everyone who took part.”

Former University of Sussex flanker Irene Morgan, 23, took the photos.

The occupational health masters student said: “It was so good and we had loads of fun. I didn’t really know what to expect but Anna had a clear idea of what she wanted, which was great for me because I didn’t want to come in and have to be telling them all what to do.

“The girls were all amazing models and it’s such a good cause – it was great.”

Revolution Bar in West Street, Brighton, gave the girls £200 in sponsorship. The calendars are available for £5 at sussexstudent.com/organisation/rugby women.