University of Greater Manchester
Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB.
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20/08/2026
Students from the University of Greater Manchester helped to break two world records and raise thousands of pounds for charity.
Led by physiotherapy lecturer Sarah Bailey, two groups of students volunteered to make sure the longest ever continuous games of men’s and women’s rugby sevens was played.
Hundreds of players, volunteers, officials, physios, partners and supporters came together and set a provisional new Guinness World Records of 28 hours for both the men’s and women’s games, surpassing the previous men’s benchmark of 24 hours and 30 minutes.
The students from the BSc Physiotherapy programme and Master’s, as well as a Sport Rehab student, gave much-needed treatment to the players during the stamina-sapping record attempt.
Sarah said: “It was a fantastic event for our students to be involved in because it exposed them to a huge variety of musculoskeletal issues and they had to dive in and perform therapy as soon as the players came off the pitch. They were challenged to provide assessments and hands-on therapies as the rolling substitutions were made in real-time.
“We were present for two sessions – one before the games started until late afternoon and then another group arrived very early the next morning to relieve the other physios who had been working through the night. They were very glad of that!”
Sarah added: “It was invaluable experience for them and the feedback from the players and organisers was really positive.”
More than £71,000 has already been raised from the event to support LooseHeadz’s, a rugby mental health charity, whose mission is to place a mental health champion in every rugby club in the world, helping ensure that no player, coach, volunteer or supporter has to struggle alone.
Forty-eight players pushed themselves through day and night, supported by an army of volunteers, match officials, medics, physios and supporters who kept the event moving every minute of the 28-hour challenge.
Angelina, a second-year physiotherapy student, said: “Seeing a variety of conditions has been good for me, I have learnt a lot. Everyone has been really supportive.”
LooseHeadz co-founder Rob Shotton said: “Attempting two new world records is an incredible achievement, but what stands out most is the collective effort it took to get there.
“From the players grinding through the early hours to the officials, team managers, physios, volunteers and supporters who never stopped cheering, 24/7s has shown exactly what the rugby community can do when it comes together.”
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