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Wales fan faces 54-mile run after record England win

Antonia Matthews
BBC Wales
Rhodri Williams Rhodri, pictured in the crowd at a Wales football match wearing a Wales flag tied around his shoulders and red cap. The pitch is behind him. Rhodri has a moustache and stubble and is smiling at the camera. Rhodri Williams
Rhodri - pictured at a Wales football match - has raised more than £2,000 so far for mental health charity Looseheadz

A rugby fan who vowed to run a mile for every point Wales lost by during the Six Nations tournament is facing a 54-mile run after their thrashing by England.

Rhodri Williams said he was "counting those miles increasing and increasing" as he watched the game unfold on Saturday.

England racked up a record Six Nations win over Wales with a 68-14 victory in Cardiff during Wales' final game of the tournament.

"I wasn't feeling too good yesterday morning," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Monday.

The Bristol-based video content producer, whose family is from Cardiff, is raising money for rugby mental health charity LooseHeadz to help tackle the stigma around mental health.

"So far it's been amazing," he said, adding he has so far raised over £2,000.

Wales lost by six points to Scotland, seven points in Italy and nine points to Ireland, but suffered heavy losses against France and England, conceding 43 and 54 points in those matches respectively.

"I would have liked to have spread the pain over the games," Rhodri said. "I thought it would be more even."

Saturday's defeat brought his total number of miles to run up to 119.

Rhodri Williams Rhodri sitting against a wall smiling and holding a medal with a green ribbon. He is wearing a blue t-shirt and a red capRhodri Williams
Rhodri has taken part in Ironman competitions in the past

Covering 43 miles after Wales' defeat at the Stade de France was a challenge, Rhodri told BBC Wales last month, setting out at 06.30 GMT and not returning until 17.00.

He will complete the final 54 miles to account for the loss to England in stages, he said.

"It's finding the time to run for that long," he said. "I'm going to do it, I think, in four half marathons."

He is considering a similar challenge for the women's rugby World Cup, he said, but won't do miles per point again.

"I think I've learnt my lesson," he said.