The British and Irish Lions men’s first match of 2025 is taking place in Dublin on Friday evening, but before that other big games – in fact, the longest games – will be taking place in the same country.
At Mullingar RFC’s ground in Ireland, from 8:00 on Wednesday morning until some point later on Thursday there are going to be simultaneous attempts to set the Guinness world records for the longest games of both men’s and women’s rugby.
The Lions Trust charity partners Looseheadz and Wooden Spoon have teamed up for the 36-hour ‘Longest Game 2025’ challenge and are aiming to raise over £100,000 through the power of rugby to tackle mental health and support children and young people who are disabled, disadvantaged or vulnerable.
So how will it all work?
The games will be 15-a-side and players will rotate to allow for rest. Support teams, including physios, medics and chefs, will ensure participants stay fuelled and in shape while there are regular water breaks permitted.
And, with eight substitutes resting at any one time on each team, players should expect to play about two thirds of the 36-hour match.
Stamina is more important than skill to the organisers and the teams will be mixed to ensure similar abilities are going up against one another.
If everything goes to plan, how will everyone celebrate afterwards?
On Thursday evening a well-earned sleep will follow a champagne celebration and then, on Friday evening, the players involved will walk onto the pitch at half-time during the Lions versus Argentina game as record breakers to lap up the applause of 51,700 people at the Aviva Stadium.
The current records are 30 hours, 29 minutes and 41 seconds for the men’s longest game and 24 hours, 5 minutes and 15 seconds for the women’s one.
This once in a lifetime experience is open to just 92 players – two men’s squads of 23 players each and two women’s teams of 23 players each. A number of female players with Scottish connections are going to be part of it. This includes former Scotland caps Ali Mackenzie-Cooper and Hazel Malakoty.
“I’ve suffered from mental health challenges throughout my life and it affected my sport too, so I know how I would have benefitted from the great work Looseheadz do during my own career,” Mackenzie-Cooper, the 53-year-old who is linked to the Garnock club and played in Scotland’s first ever Test versus Ireland in 1993, said.
“I joined Wooden Spoon last year and the charity has a wonderful community which has given me back my love for the game.
“I haven’t played rugby in 20 years and really wanted to do this challenge, but didn’t think I’d be fit enough or be of much help to the team.
“But as a couple of months passed I thought ‘why not, this might be my only chance at being part of a world record’ so I signed up.
“I was in the original Scotland women team and played in three World Cups. Overall, I earned 39 caps for Scotland and two caps for the Nomads and then went on to manage the national team when I retired.”
Mackenzie-Cooper is Scotland cap number 12 in the roll of honour and Malakoty, who made her first international appearance versus Spain in 2003, is cap number 91.
Malakoty, who is associated with the Ayr, Cartha Queens Park and GHA clubs, said: “I decided to get involved in the challenge to support extremely worthwhile causes and to be a role model for my three beautiful children.
“The target to beat currently is 24 hours, 5 minutes and 15 seconds for the women’s record and I know everyone will be giving it our all to better that.”
Lee Murru, who plays for the Bannockburn club and coaches youngsters at Stirling County as well as being involved in many other aspects of rugby, turns 29 on Saturday and hopes completing the challenge will be an early birthday present.
“When I heard about the challenge, I thought it was a great thing to be a part of,” she stated.
“To raise money for great charities while putting our minds and bodies to the test will be exciting.
“I also think it’s a great thing to do to help show the young girls that I coach the opportunities that our sport can give them and demonstrate that they really can’t do anything they want to do.
“I’m expecting it to be physically and mentally tough, but I’m also expecting there to be so my high moments, lots of excitement and lifelong friendships made.”
