logo
Rugby world record attempt was 'amazing', say Newbury players

Rugby world record attempt was 'amazing', say Newbury players

BBC News21-06-2025
A rugby player has said taking part in a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest game of women's rugby was "amazing".The game kicked off at Mullingar Rugby Club in County Westmeath, Ireland, at 08:00 BST on Wednesday, concluding just over 29 hours later.Sarah Coleman and Roisin Winston were two of three players from Newbury Rugby Club who took part.Ms Coleman said the experience was "super exhausting" but "absolutely amazing".
She said watching the sun set and rise during the same match was "mental", and that the cold, damp night was harder than the hot days."All you want to do is sleep," said Ms Coleman, whose longest shift was about six and a half hours."I got to about five and I was like 'I cannot do this, my legs are killing me, my feet are so sore'."But she persevered because she knew her teammates needed the rest.Ms Winston also said the team was one of her biggest motivators."We did a really good job of pulling together and looking out for each other," she said.
The event, which also included an attempt on the men's world record, was raising money for three charities - children's rugby charity Wooden Spoon, rugby mental health charity LooseHeadz, and The Lions Trust.LooseHeadz said the women's record of 24 hours, five minutes and 15 seconds was surpassed, with a new benchmark of 26 hours and 33 minutes.The previous men's record, which stood at 30 hours, 29 minutes and 41 seconds, was also surpassed on Thursday afternoon.Both will be subject to official verification by the Guinness World Records.
More than £110,000 was raised at the event with fundraising continuing.Both Ms Coleman and Ms Winston said the fundraising element helped motivate them when the going got tough."It was all about the children and young people we were helping... that's why I did it," said Ms Coleman.Ms Winston said: "It's really nice to know that you've done something really hard but you're making a difference to people who really need it."That was enough keep you going through the night."
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tommy O'Brien and Darragh Murray to make Ireland debuts against Georgia
Tommy O'Brien and Darragh Murray to make Ireland debuts against Georgia

BreakingNews.ie

time3 hours ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Tommy O'Brien and Darragh Murray to make Ireland debuts against Georgia

Leinster's Tommy O'Brien and Connacht's Darragh Murray are set to make their debuts for Ireland as Paul O'Connell named his starting 15 to take on Georgia on Saturday. O'Brien was one of Leinster's standout players in the second half of the season as they won the URC title, with the winger named to start in Tbilisi. Advertisement Connacht second row Murray has also been rewarded for his from, and will partner Ulster's Cormac Izuchukwu. Ireland will be captained by scrum-half Craig Casey, who will partner Leinster's Sam Prendergast. Ulster's Stuart McCloskey is named at centre alongside Jamie Osborne. Jacob Stockdale is on the left wing, with O'Brien on the right and Jimmy O'Brien at full-back. In the front row, Jack Boyle makes his first start, and his is partnered by his Leinster teammates Gus McCarthy and Tom Clarkson. In the back-row, Ryan Baird and Nick Timoney will be either side of Gavin Coombes. On the bench, there could be four debuts, with Michael Milne, Jack Aungier, Tom Ahern, and Ben Murphy all set to feature for Ireland for the first time. Ireland Team named for @GEORGIARUGBY match. 2⃣ new caps to start 4⃣ uncapped players on the bench #TeamofUs #WeAreIreland — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) July 3, 2025 Paul O'Connell will be in charge of Ireland, who also take on Portugal the following week.

McCloskey comfortable being Ireland's elder statesman
McCloskey comfortable being Ireland's elder statesman

BBC News

time4 hours ago

  • BBC News

McCloskey comfortable being Ireland's elder statesman

When Stuart McCloskey last represented Ireland in Georgia, 10 years ago, his world looked a lot different. Fresh off winning Ulster's young player of the year award at the end of his first full season in senior rugby, he travelled with the Emerging Ireland squad for the now-defunct Tbilisi Cup in just 22, McCloskey admits he was "pretty naive" back then. Now, with nearly a decade of Test experience and over 200 Ulster caps under his belt, he has a "few more grey hairs" and knows "what I'm about these days". This much is true. Even within the controlled environment of a press conference, McCloskey is able to show that he is comfortable in his own Bealham's British and Irish Lions call-up means he is the elder statesmen of interim head coach Paul O'Connell's Ireland squad. He jokes that Bealham "absolutely did me in" and admits O'Connell "gets a dig in most days about how old I am", but he seems happy being the only squad member to have celebrated his 30th birthday. He also likes to tell Ulster team-mates Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney he will outlast them."I'm happy to be the calm head," says McCloskey, who will turn 33 in August."I feel like that's normally what I am in these teams no matter who's playing around me, but there's plenty of guys there like Craig [Casey] and Sam [Prendergast] who've run the backline very well over the last few weeks in here. "Sam's come in in the Six Nations and done very well so I'll just play off them, give them the space and hopefully they run in a few tries for us. During the last Lions tour in 2021, McCloskey furthered his case for a spot in the Ireland starting line-up with tries in wins over Japan and the United States. Through no fault of his own, it hasn't quite panned out that way, but considering the constant presence of Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, 19 caps represents a solid return to this point for a player who was not offered a place in Ulster's academy after leaving Bangor Grammar."I don't think I'm doing a lot wrong," he says. "I think when I've played I've went well, it's just there's four very good centres in the lads, two of them are away [Aki and Ringrose] and you could argue Robbie would've been away as well if he wasn't injured, so I don't think I'm too far off it. "What can I do better? Keep improving on a few things, probably a bit more physicality in defence, I think I've got most things in attack. "[I'll try to] add a few more strings to my bow, whether that's breakdown or poach threat, but overall I don't think there's a lot in it. A few decisions go my way, I'm sitting here with a few more caps." McCloskey, whose last Ireland start came against Italy in February 2024, is expected to partner Jamie Osborne in the midfield in Saturday's Test against Georgia. Osborne, 23, is known as one of Ireland's most versatile players. He can play at either inside or outside centre and started at full-back and right wing against Wales and France in this year's Six Nations. "Jamie's been great. He's the kind of guy that slips into any position fairly well," said McCloskey. "You can play him anywhere over the backline and he'll do a great job. We've had a good combination going there the last couple of days. "He's physical, he's got all the skills and everything you'd want in a rugby player. I'm sure he'll go on and get a lot more caps under his belt over the next 10 years."As for himself, McCloskey wants to use the Georgia and Portugal games to stake his claim ahead of a glamorous autumn programme that includes Ireland's rematch against the All Blacks in Chicago and a home Test against double world champions South means impressing O'Connell, who he played against in the old Pro12 days."Ulster sent down the biggest B team of all time because it was a dead rubber at the end of the season and Munster had their best team out," McCloskey recalls of Ulster's 19-17 win at Thomond Park in May 2014. "I remember it very well. Michael Heaney scored a try, they were trying to get to second and we were fourth, couldn't go up or down, it was back in the Pro12 days and we got the win, I think it was my fourth cap."Perhaps he mentions it to O'Connell when the towering Irish icon brings us McCloskey's age?"No, but I like to think he knows it. I'm trying to get picked this week!"

Iconic whiskey brand Jameson launches new Euros inspired football shirt collection to celebrate summer of women's sport
Iconic whiskey brand Jameson launches new Euros inspired football shirt collection to celebrate summer of women's sport

Daily Mail​

time14 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Iconic whiskey brand Jameson launches new Euros inspired football shirt collection to celebrate summer of women's sport

Although Ireland won't be competing in Euro 2025 this month their fans won't be missing out on a new strip this summer. Iconic Irish whiskey brand Jameson have collaborated with The Goalposts League, an inclusive football community organisation, and Lover's FC, a football fashion brand to design a new women's kit collection ahead of the tournament, inspired by Ireland and past England and Germany Euro teams. The Euros kicks off on Wednesday, while reigning champions England take on France in their opener on Friday. Ireland's women team have never qualified for the Euros but did feature in World Cup 2023, where they crashed out without a win in the group stage. They were pipped 3-2 by Wales in a tournament play-off in December, with Rhian Wilkinson's side reaching the competition for the first time. Jameson's new shirt collection is inspired by the 'what is', 'what was' and 'what could have been'. The first shirt is features a subtle Celtic design and blends in with Jameson's green and orange design. The second is inspired by the German Women's Euros winning team of 2005, who wore one of the first specifically designed female-fitting football shirts. The final top gives a nod to England teams with a St George's Cross on each shoulder. Julia Massies, Managing Director for Pernod Ricard UK, said: 'Jameson has fully embedded itself within the world of football, from its long-standing partnership with the English Football League, to its past campaigns supporting grassroots women's football with both The Goalposts League and Lovers F.C. 'Everything we do is reflective of what the sport ultimately represents, community. It was a pleasure to collaborate once again and shine a light on the talent within female sport.' 'It's been amazing to be a part of the Goalposts League. It's given me a real sense of belonging and community…It's not always easy to find space in football that isn't dominated by men,' Jazmyn Tyne said. 'It's made me feel like I have a place in the sport, supported and surrounded by a community of like-minded people who celebrate and uphold each other. I was delighted to be asked to feature in this collaboration with Jameson and Lovers FC, to celebrate what should be another momentous summer of women's football!'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store