Rugby World Record attempt for Dan
In June last year, 43-year-old husband and father of three, Dan Miller, died suddenly from a heart attack devastating his young family, his four brothers, and team mates at Hoylake Rugby Club.
A year later, a group of Dan’s Hoylake team mates are hoping to break the Guinness World Record for the longest ever touch rugby game on 16 July 2021.
The players, who previously reached a high level in the game, including the finals at Twickenham of the Tetley Bitter Vase in 2001, are also raising money for WaterAid, Dan’s favourite charity and the organisation are supporting them to maximise their fundraising efforts.
The Doinit4Dan team secured the support of some very high-profile individuals, including James Bond actor, Daniel Craig, a former club member and junior player.
Also supporting the boys with a good luck video message were: England head coach Eddie Jones, Leicester player, James Whitcombe; Callum Braley, Seb Negri and Luca Bigi from Italian team Treviso; as well as Katy Daley-McLean, who led England to victory in the 2014 World Cup and has represented England 116 times; England and Wasps player, Kieran Brookes, and fellow Wasps team mates Tommy Taylor and Tom Cruse.
Dan’s brother Sam Miller said: "Daniel is a very busy man, so the fact he made time for us is special. My brother Dan was special too and I like to think of one legend reaching out to another.
"Daniel grew up here on the Wirral and played for Hoylake when he was a schoolboy, so I think that helped a bit. But he still found the time and that means a lot. And many thanks to England boss Eddie and the rest of the players who also contributed."
The 28 members of the Doinit4Dan team, aged between 35 and 59, include Dan’s brother Sam and his three brothers-in-law. They have negotiated lockdown restrictions to keep up their training over the past six months and are determined to smash the current record for the longest ever touch rugby game, which stands at 30 hours and three minutes – they are aiming for aiming for 33 hours 33 minutes and 33 seconds, as Dan's rugby position was number 3.
The Guinness World Records organisation has been so impressed by the team’s undertaking, that they will be making a special documentary about their efforts.
Dan was an active supporter of WaterAid, whose mission is to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to the millions of people around the world who do not have access to these basic human rights and which form the building blocks of lifting people out of poverty. More information can be found here.
