SOHK broke the Guinness World Record for the longest ever match of full-contact rugby, totalling 30.5 hours and raising almost £50,000 for charity! 

We are thrilled to announce SOHK broke the Guinness World Record over the bank holiday weekend! In scorching temps, team SOHK played full contact rugby union for 30.5 continuous hours, breaking the world record.

During one of the hottest bank holiday weekends the UK has witnessed, SOHK went to head-to-head with children’s rugby charity, Wooden Spoon, with only 23 players per side to play rugby continuously for 30 hours and 30 minutes! 

The line up for Team SOHK featured high-profile ambassadors including our patron and World Cup finalist Andy Gomarsall MBE, Scottish International Ben Hinshelwood and English International referee, Wayne Barnes.

The two-day event attracted a number a sponsors who helped make the record a success, with charity partner and renowned steak restaurant, Gaucho, serving a BBQ for the spectators.

SOHK celebrated a big win against our friends at Wooden Spoon charity, with the final score 2154 to 1163 - an incredible feat by both teams!

The game was played at Hazelwood Centre -training ground of newly promoted Premiership team London Irish in Sunbury-on-Thames

“That was beyond brutal and one of the toughest things I’ve ever done in my life!  The heat at times was unbearable.  I’m delighted for both teams that we broke the record and with so much money being raised for such an important cause it was an unforgettable 2 days.” Andy Gomarsall MBE, World Cup winner and SOHK patron 

Sports scientists from Catapult were able to record some impressive metrics from the team using GPS trackers. Despite playing for thirty hours, Bradley Williams ran the most distance in the final hour and a half - 5.6km. If he maintained that pace for the full 30 hour match, he would have run over 100km! Three players, John Brake, Albert Azis-Clauson and Josh Walker, reached speeds of above 30kph, and despite running in the heat for 30 hours, Williams hit 11 sprints in a one hour period. Ex England 7s player John Brake ran the fastest on the day, reaching a maximum speed of 30.5kph. 

The match would not have been the success it was without our amazing sponsors including, Gaucho, Heineken, TRIBE and Catapult Sports!

SOHK are thrilled to have reclaimed their title, having held the record in 2015 with a time of 28 hours and 30 minutes, however they were beaten by The Fire Fighters Charity in 2017. The event raised in excess of £40,000 but we hope to reach our record of £50,000 from individual donations! 

 “I’m delighted for everyone involved that we broke the World Record!  It was brutal for the players and our two amazing teams so a huge thanks to them all for putting their bodies and minds on the line!  Also, a heartfelt thanks to our wonderfully supportive main sponsor Martin Williams’ M Restaurant/Gaucho, all the brilliant support staff and of course the referees.  It was an unforgettable 48 hours!” Ken Cowen, CEO & Founder

“For players to be hitting speeds of over 30kph after playing continuously for 30 hours is a huge achievement. The athletes were exposed to a high player load over the duration of the match, and the volume of work they would have done over the 30 hours would be difficult for even the fittest of athletes."Joshua Lee, Sports Scientist at Catapult Sports

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