A Ramsgate dad-of-one and Thanet Wanderers player is hoping to raise funds and awareness as he takes part in a Guinness World Record attempt to play the longest rugby game ever.
Andrew Letts will be among 92 men and women hoping to set new records with the men aiming to beat 30 hours 29 minutes and 41 seconds and the women aiming to top 24 hours, 5 minutes, and 15 seconds.
The men plan to play for 36 hours in the game which will be raising funds for charities Wooden Spoon, Loose Headz and The Lions Trust.
Each player has been tasked with raising around £1,500 with the hope that the teams will collectively raise more than £100,000.
The 92 players – making two men and two women’s teams- plus six referees, will take on the challenge on 18–19 June at Mullingar RFC, Ireland.
Andrew, 41, has been training since finding out he had gained a spot on the team.
The Saga worker said: “When I found out in March I was selected I upped my training. So, it is like marathon training, lots of time on your feet with running, walking and cycling. I’ve had to improve my running quite a bit.”
Andrew estimates he will be on the pitch for at least 24 or the 36 hours providing all players remain physically fit. A normal rubgy game would be for 80 minutes.
Andrew has been playing rugby at Thanet Wanderers since starting at the age of seven. For the last six years he has also been involved with the Wooden Spoon charity which provides grants to charities and organisations to help give the best life opportunities to children and young people living with disabilities, those disadvantaged and those disengaged from society.
The charity has helped the Thanet Wanderers SEND (special educational needs/disabilities) team to attend the last two years of the annual TagFest tournament. Since 1983, Wooden Spoon has supported over 1.5 million children and young people.
LooseHeadz is the sport’s leading mental health charity, on a mission to save lives in rugby. It provides over 1,200 clubs in 28 countries with free toolkits and resources to help tackle the stigma and support the mental health of players, coaches and fans. The British & Irish Lions Trust preserves the rich history and values of the Lions while offering financial and emotional support to former Lions who need it.
Andrew will join a team featuring a powerful mix of international talent, charity leaders, and community heroes such as ex-Internationals Tamara Taylor and Rocky Clarke and advocates Max Brown, Jonathan Alexander Zemlik and Josef Webber.
Andrew, who is married to Bong Shop owner Thule, said: “It is mainly about raising money and awareness for the charities but I also wanted to challenge myself.
“It is like a season’s worth of rugby in just one and a half days.”
