BRAVING the cold, these women’s rugby team players went into Oxford to shoot their first naked calendar.

The charity calendar, which features black and white photographs taken around the city, shows 18 Oxford University students taking off everything – apart from their boots and socks in some pictures.

Oxford University Women’s Rugby Football Club president Elizabeth Dubois said her team was spurred on after seeing the men’s team sell their naked calendar last year.

The team hopes to sell 2,000 copies to raise thousands of pounds for Oxford mental health awareness campaign Mind Your Head.

Miss Dubois, 24, said the photographs were taken across the city one day last month, adding: “It was definitely something interesting for the tourists going around Oxford.”

She said the students were a bit apprehensive but started to relax after the first few pictures were taken at the rugby club’s home in Jackdaw Lane.

She said: “When the girls got down there, there was a bit of hesitation. They weren’t sure how it was going to go.

“But by the end of the day everybody was really happy to have done it. It is such a good cause and such a good team-bonding opportunity.”

Team captain Tatiana Cutts, 25, left, appears on the September photograph tackling Danielle Yardy into the Thames.

She said: “The worst bit was the river shot because it was absolutely freezing.”

The Keble College law PhD student from Devon added: “The first shot was a bit nerve-wracking but afterwards it was all right.

“It is all just a bit of fun and we ended up pretty at ease with each other.”

Miss Cutts said the team also wanted to show there was another side to women, in contrast to some of the skinny models pictured in fashion magazines.

She added: “I think what we did is probably quite unusual for a women’s rugby team – we wanted to portray an image of women as strong.”

Last night the club had sold more than 200 calendars.

The team also thanked photographer Mark Barnfield who did the shoot free of charge.

Sophie Carruthers, co-chairman of Mind Your Head, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the team.”s The £10 calendar is available from Walters in Turl Street, Oxford, and online at http://ouwrfc.wordpress. com