A FORMER Chard rugby player has jetted out to Brazil to coach youngsters ahead of the Olympics next year.

Sam Johnston is teaching students about rugby and its core values in the lead up to the Rio 2016 games.

The ex-Holyrood Academy pupil has travelled to Sao Paulo with Premiership Rugby in association with the British council where he will be coaching the Try Rugby Project, teaching the sport to all ages and abilities to raise the profile of the game in the country.

Try Rugby aims to help to grow the sport of rugby in Brazil and use it as a tool to support the social inclusion of “at risk” or disadvantaged young people in the country such skills as leadership.

The 25-year-old is organising and running tag and contact tournaments, which will be supported by Premiership clubs such as Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby.

Mr Johnston said: “Since being in Brazil there has been a definite culture change for me.

Everyone I have met has been extremely accommodating and friendly.

“One thing that has taken me a while to get used to is to share my food and drink with others as Brazilians share barbecue meats and a beer when socialising.

“Then, there is the obvious language barrier; coming to a country which speaks mostly Portuguese has been slowly getting better as I am trying to learn bits and pieces of the language to make my job easier every day.

“It is going to be a hard position to take with such a crazed football nation but, hopefully, that can change in time and I am looking forward to the challenge.”