Sandbach RUFC is proud to be hosting LooseHeadz’ latest ambitious world record attempt this July, as players take on an extraordinary challenge: more than 24 hours of continuous rugby sevens, all in support of mental health in rugby.

The event, 24/7s, will see two marathon matches, one men’s and one women’s, kick-off at 12pm on Friday 24 July and continue through the night until after 12pm on Saturday 25 July. The aim is to go beyond the current Guinness World Record of 24 hours and 30 minutes, while raising vital awareness and funds for LooseHeadz.

LooseHeadz’ mission is simple but powerful: to save lives by placing a Mental Health Champion at every rugby club in the world. Through this challenge, Sandbach RUFC is proud to play its part in supporting that mission and helping strengthen the rugby community on and off the field.

Sandbach RUFC’s relationship with LooseHeadz began in 2024 when they hosted the inaugural ‘Bradley Peace Memorial Cup’ between Sandbach Social XV and LooseHeadz RFC. The following summer, LooseHeadz returned for a thrilling double header, featuring both women’s and men’s matches alongside family-friendly celebrations off the pitch.
Both events were organised by Sandbach’s Mike Grapes in conjunction with LooseHeadz. Mike went on to be nominated for ‘The LooseHead of the Year’ in the LooseHeadz Community Awards 2025, which celebrated the unsung community heroes of rugby and the people who make the game and LooseHeadz so unique.

Hannah Stallard, Head of Community at LooseHeadz, said:
“On the back of having hosted two hugely successful LooseHeadz RFC games over the last few years, Sandbach RUFC have shown their ongoing support for LooseHeadz and our work.

Upon speaking to Mike and the rest of the team at Sandbach, their passion for hosting 24/7s became immediately apparent and made this an easy decision for the team.
Their close proximity to Wilmslow where LooseHeadz was founded was another huge draw, giving us the opportunity to involve a number of those who have been with us since we launched in 2017.”

Andrew Bird, Director of Rugby at Sandbach RUFC, added:
“Really privileged to be able to host such a great event, not only is it a potential world record but it also celebrates all the good work LooseHeadz does in the community. A lot of rugby players in the club have got an affiliation to LooseHeadz and some in a very personal way which makes this more special to us.

To be on the world stage and to add some of Sandbach’s uniqueness to it with our renowned hospitality is an honour. We are looking forward to welcoming people from the wider community and across the sport and regions to the club in July."
Players, officials, volunteers and supporters will come together for what promises to be an unforgettable 24 hours of rugby, community and fundraising. Each game will follow official sevens laws, with rolling substitutions allowing teams to keep the action going throughout the full challenge.

The event will also feature some major names from the rugby world, with former England international and British & Irish Lion George Kruis and former England Rugby Sevens captain and World Sevens Player of the Year Ollie Phillips already confirmed to take part in the world record attempt. More names will be announced in the coming weeks.
Sandbach RUFC has long been proud of its community spirit and commitment to the wider game, and hosting 24/7s is another opportunity to bring people together for an incredible cause.

We’d love to see members, supporters and the wider rugby community come down to Sandbach in July, cheer on the teams and help support LooseHeadz in their mission to make mental health support accessible at every rugby club around the world.
For more information on LooseHeadz, visit https://looseheadz.co.uk/ and follow #TackleTheStigma.