Longest Game Programme 2025

About the longest game 18-19 June 2025 | Mullingar Rugby Football Club, Westmeath, Ireland

In an extraordinary show of endurance, community, and commitment to good causes, The Longest Game aims to set two Guinness World Records for the longest marathon playing rugby union — one for men and one for women. The records to beat? 30 hours, 29 minutes, and 41 seconds for the men’s game, and 24 hours, 5 minutes, and 15 seconds for the women’s. But, both teams are aiming to get consecutive records of 36 hours!

The Longest Game will be played under full World Rugby laws, with two teams — the LooseSpoons and the WoodenHeadz — competing in both 15 a-side men’s and women’s fixtures. Each squad consists of 23 players, meaning a total of 92 players (46 men and 46 women) and 6 referees, will take part across both matches. To meet the gruelling demands of a world record attempt, each player and referee is expected to clock approximately 24 hours of game time. To manage fatigue and ensure player welfare, the format allows for breaks inline with World Rugby Law, with substitutions and rotations carefully scheduled throughout the event. This ensures the integrity of the competition while pushing the boundaries of endurance in the name of charity.

This isn’t just about records — it’s about raising over £100,000 for three inspirational charities: LooseHeadz, Wooden Spoon, and the British & Irish Lions Trust.

These brave — and some might say foolhardy — players are set to push their limits for causes that matter. They need your support to cross the line.

Follow the journey, spread the word, and donate if you can — let’s help them make history.

itinerary Wednesday 06:30 - 07:00 Players Arrive at Mullingar RFC 08:00 Kick Off - Both games

Thursday Circa 08:00 known women’s record for longest game broken 14:30 DJ and music pitch-side Circa 15:00 standing Guinness World Record broken Circa 20:00 Guinness World Record attempts for the Longest Game ends with new records 20:30 Post match food available and celebratory drinks 22:00 Event Closes

Friday 11:00 Players leave Mullingar and head to Dublin City Centre 20:00 British & Irish Lions v Argentina kick off at Aviva Stadium 20:40 Longest Game World Record Holders half time pitch walk & recognition

Saturday Farewells, thank yous & depatures

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About the club Mullingar Rugby Club was founded in 1924 and has grown into a thriving community club.

Today, they proudly field teams in Men’s Leinster League Division 1B, Women’s Division 2, U20s, Youths, Minis (Boys & Girls), Disability Tag Rugby, and Summer Tag Rugby.

At Mullingar RFC, community is at their core. As a volunteer-led club, they aim to enrich lives through rugby, promoting inclusion, teamwork, and development for players of all ages and abilities in a safe and supportive environment.

Fundraising plays a vital role in uniting the club and driving their shared goals forward—ensuring rugby continues to be accessible and rewarding for everyone in their community.

Thank you Mu

“On behalf of Wooden Spoon & LooseHeadz, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone at Mullingar RFC for your incredible support and warm hospitality. A special thank you to Ciaran and Paul for your tireless work, to Dave Smyth for the fantastic catering, and to everyone who contributed behind the scenes.

The facilities and spirit shown are exceptional—your commitment truly reflects the power of rugby to bring people together for a great cause. Thank you.” — Sarah Webb, CEO of Wooden Spoon

ullingar RFC

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About LooseHeadz The challenges we face On average

every40seconds

700,000

1 person dies by suicide around the world.

that’s around 700,000 people a year

LooseHeadz CONNECT - An online community hub that has been built by Capgemini will help bring the global rugby community together like never before.

SUPPORT is an ongoing pilot in the form of a gold standard clinical support service, providing immediate access to professional support for those most in need.

around75%

1200 rugbyclubs

of suicides in the UK are men*

in 28 different countries

LooseHeadz DELIVER - An innovative new training programme, tailored specifically for rugby clubs and their mental health leads.

LooseHeadz work with over 1,200 rugby clubs in 28 different countries.

LooseHeadz is rugby’s mental health charity on a mission to save lives by placing a mental health lead at every rugby club in the world.

The charity uses rugby as a vehicle to drive and open up the conversation around mental health and tackle the stigma.

1 in 4 people struggle with their mental health each year, and suicide one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

LooseHeadz has recently announced a new strategy to CONNECT, DELIVER, and SUPPORT the rugby community.

* World Health Organisation Suicide: one person dies every 40 seconds report *mentalhealth.org- men and mental health report.

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About Wooden Spoon Wooden Spoon is the children’s charity of rugby, dedicated to transforming the lives of children and young people living with disabilities, disadvantage, or social exclusion. Harnessing the spirit and values of the rugby community, the charity funds lifechanging projects across the UK and Ireland to offer better opportunities and brighter futures.

Projects supported by Wooden Spoon include sensory rooms, specialist playgrounds, adapted sports equipment, and inclusive education programmes. Since 1983, they’ve committed over £30 million to more than 1,300 initiatives — positively impacting the lives of over a million children and young people.

The challenges we face In the UK, it is estimated that

1in 5

3 in 4

children in the UK are Neurodivergent*

children with disabilities don’t play sport at school*

Wooden Spoon has funded over 100 sensory spaces across the UK and Ireland, totalling over £4.6 million and helping over 202,000 young people.

Wooden Spoon Tag Fest gives players with mild and severe learning difficulties the opportunity to be a rugby player.

1in 5

1in 3

children have a mental health issue* Wooden Spoon supports The Wave Project which reduces isolation and enhances confidence and wellbeing of young people through surf therapy.

children live in poverty* Wooden Spoon supports The Boathouse Youth in Blackpool who work with children and young people from socio-economically deprived communities.

* NHS, England Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 report; Child Poverty Action group 2024; Gibson, O. (2024, September 1). The Guardian.

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About the Lions Trust The Lions Trust supports Lions players in need while promoting the spirit, values, and ethos of The British & Irish Lions across rugby clubs in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

The Trust is led by former Lions, including chairman Gavin Hastings and trustees Richard Hill, Jamie Roberts, and Tommy Bowe. It reflects the values of the Lions Tour—respect, unity, and generosity of spirit.

A key focus is the welfare of past players who may lack access to financial, medical, or personal support. The Trust aims to honour the Lions’ legacy while safeguarding its future through meaningful, practical support.

bit.ly/LongestGame

DONATE

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staff and volunteers A heartfelt thank you to everyone behind the scenes—our incredible staff, dedicated volunteers, first aiders, physios, water carriers, independent witnesses, and more. Your time, energy, and spirit have made this extraordinary event possible.

To the teams: LooseSpoonz and WoodenHeadz—made up of players from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and around the world —your passion, humour, and resilience embody the very best of what this challenge represents.

We couldn’t have done it without you. Here’s to teamwork, endurance, and making history—together.

Alwyn Thornton Andrew Burgess Andy Jones Anne-Lise Costerg Aoife Conaghan Ashton Spicer Caoimhe Morris Catherine Jones Chloe Harte Chris North Dave Nicoll Dylan O’Keefe Edward Legge Ellyanna Madden Ethan Ritchie Fionnuala Wharton Francesca Cates Gerry Winston Hannah Possart Hannah Stallard

Heather Lewis Imogen Robinson Jeanetter McDonnell Jenny Bond John Sim Karanpreet Brar Kelly Boyce Jordan Kerrie Webber Laurence Hemary Liam Town Lois O’Flanagan Lucy Ellis Lucy Hopwood Lucy Roy Mark Byrne Matt Mallinder Matt Mitchell Neil Kemp Orlaith Sheerin Rachel Lawrence

Richard Hopwood Rob Russell Rob Shotton Robert Harvey Ryan Parker Sarah Rowland Sarah Webb Skye Butts Stephen MacKinnon Sue Reynolds Suzanne Whitfield Tom Hughes Wayne Edward Jones

referees

Aurélie Lemouzy Edward Reed Jonny Cartwright Josh Bate Simon Turner Stuart Bage

Thank you

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men Andrew Letts Andy McGrory Cliff Street Colin Stuart David Luxon Don Farrell Gareth Hummerston John Clements Jon Morton Joshua Jones Kieran Lynch Maheson Balasundaram Mark Whitfield Max Brown Neal Patterson Ni Butler Odin Hopwood Patrick Cronin Paul Sullivan Robin Callaway Sean Farrell Stafford Butt Zachary Johns

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Tea Loosesp

am poons

women Ali Mackenzie-Cooper Bella May Chloe Cranfield Chloe Payne Ella Wylie Jacqueline Louise Davis Jess Courtman Jess Kneebone Joanne Smith Katherine Brinsley Laura Turner Lauren Hanley Lauren Roberts Lisa Richardson Paige Anastacia Rachel Massey Rachel Murphy Rebecca Smart Rebeckah Mallard Roisin Winston Sarah Coleman Tamara Taylor Tilly Bennett

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men Adam Kentell Andy Collings Brett Bader Cameron Findlay Dan O’Rourke Jack Badhan James Burge-Davies James Catlin Jason Baker Jeremy Foster Johnathan Zemlik Josef Webber Joshua Ovey Ken Sugden Mark Kane Matt Bishop Murray Stewart Nigel Brierley Niki Davies Sean Harrison Simon Beadle Tapuwa Chabata Zac Sutton

Tea wooden

am nheadz

women Amanda Burton Beena Chadha Carlene Willis Carole Mage Eleanor Ferrie Emma Riach Gemma Wilson Hailey Coutts Hazel Malakoty Izzy Beadle Jess Cheesman Kelli Nusum Kirstie Standish Lee Murru Lucy Jefferies Melanie Burge-Davies Nicola Caldwell Olivia Martin Sam Moore Shawna Ball Tracey Smith Yasmin Crehan Yvonne Tunnicliff

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Corporate support canterbury

THE ORIGINAL RUGBY BRAND Since Canterbury kicked off in 1904, we’ve designed kit that’s crafted for this demanding game. From the very beginning, our roots stood firm in New Zealand soil. Years later, and the three Canterbury kiwis are etched not just on our jerseys, but into the history of rugby. Today, over a century of knowledge goes into creating our world-class kit. Built to last. Truly tough. Designed for players.

lmax LMAX Group is a global financial technology company and the leading independent operator of multiple institutional execution venues for FX and digital assets trading. With offices in 9 countries and a global client base, the Group builds and runs its own high performance, ultra-low latency exchange infrastructure, which includes matching engines in London, New York, Tokyo and Singapore.

ICS Mortgages ICS Mortgages is a residential mortgage lender in the Irish market. ICS Mortgages is a trading name of Dilosk DAC, which is an Irish owned financial services company. We are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland as a Retail Credit Firm and comply with all the relevant regulatory codes applicable to mortgage lending in Ireland.

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Opro Founded more than 25 years ago in 1997 by Dr. Anthony Lovat BDS., OPRO is the world’s most technically advanced mouthguard company and a leading pioneer in oral protection.

From our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Hertfordshire (UK), we’re dedicated to creating the ultimate in dental protection by using innovation and technology for the good of athletes at all levels of sport.

Why not grab yourself a professional level mouthguard you fit at home. Available in three protection levels with OPRO Instant Custom-Fit mouthguards.

Use code: WOODENSPOON10 for 10% off sitewide at www.opro.com Valid until 27th June 2025

d3 tape

On the sidelines of a sports field, three dads wondered why good strapping tape was so hard to find and so expensive. That question led to the creation of d3 — a brand committed to delivering high-quality, reliable, and fun sports support products that help all bodies move better. From injury prevention to rehab, d3’s range supports everyone from active individuals to elite athletes. With a focus on value, quality, and customer needs, d3 is now stocked by major retailers and expanding globally — all while keeping movement at the heart of everything it does.

nocco No Carbs Company NOCCO is a beverage with BCAAs (branched chain amino acids) and vitamins, developed

by No Carbs Company in Sweden. The beverage is preferably consumed in connection to a workout. No Carbs Company launched its first product in December 2014 and is today available in more than 30 markets. All NOCCO products are carbonated, sugar-free and low calorie.

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Previous World Record In a monumental display of endurance, teamwork, and heart, the School of Hard Knocks (SOHK) and Wooden Spoon joined forces to set a Guinness World Record for the longest marathon playing rugby union—an incredible 30 hours, 29 minutes, and 41 seconds.

This historic match took place from August 25 to 26, 2019, at Hazelwood, West London—the home training ground of London Irish RFC. More than just a physical feat, the event served a higher purpose: raising over £50,000 for two remarkable charities dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and young people across the UK. Now, the record is under challenge once again—this time in Mullingar, Ireland, where a determined group of players will attempt to break the record for three life changing causes.

”When asked to take part in the Guinness World Record event again, I couldn’t say no. Despite the memories of pain and fatigue, the players and supporters made it such an overwhelming experience — one I can only look back on with a smile. The chance to share that feeling with a new group of people, while raising funds for amazing charities, is something I just couldn’t pass up.”— Ni Butler, taking on his 6th World Record attempt, having already helped set the record four times before.

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#LongestGame2025 #HelpingKidsThroughRugby #TackleTheStigma #TacklingDisadvantage

Instagram: @looseheadz | Facebook: LooseHeadz | X: @LooseHeadz TikTok: @looseheadz | YouTube: @looseheadz

Instagram: @charityspoon | Facebook: Wooden Spoon Charity X: @charityspoon | YouTube: @WoodenSpoonTV