Utah Warriors Rugby to host World Record Attempt at exhibition game between USA Rugby and France’s Stade Toulousain

3,000+ fans and players will join arms on the field post-match to break the world record of the largest scrum alongside the Utah Warriors, the Utah business community, the USA National Rugby team, and French Champions, Stade Toulousain.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (July 25, 2023) – Today Utah’s Major League Rugby team, the Utah Warriors, announce that during the September 17th matchup between the USA Eagles national rugby team and France’s 2023 Top 14 championship rugby club, Stade Toulousain, a Guinness World Record will be broken. 

The Utah Warriors will organize the largest scrum on record with the help of fans in attendance. After the match has finished, fans are invited to come down onto America First Field where over 3,000 people will lock arms as a community to break this record.

“Rugby is the most inclusive and unifying sport on the planet,” says Kimball Kjar, Co Founder and CEO of the Utah Warriors. “Setting a world record for the largest scrum is a representation of the togetherness that the sport builds for communities. And by setting the record at a premier exhibition rugby match between the US National Team and Stade Toulousain, which is arguably the Real Madrid of Rugby, will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone in attendance.”

In rugby, a scrum is the moment when eight players face off against eight players from each team, and bind together to push for possession of the rugby ball. During the world record breaking, the 3000+ participating fans will be assigned to one of two teams and will lock arms together 4 people deep, but will not push against the other team, only reaching across to put arms on the shoulders of the person opposite them. The Guinness Book of World Records will document the event.

“We’re passionate about rugby, but we are even more passionate about Utah.” says Andy Chesnut, General Manager of the Utah Warriors, “This is about bringing people together for a great cause, a great time, and to make great things happen. That’s what Utah does. That’s what makes this community special.”

The world record being broken at this USA vs Toulouse match on September 17th makes the exhibition game even more powerful, as rugby’s expansion into the USA has been coming fast with the growth of the MLR over the past half-decade. 

Business Packages can be purchased through the Utah Warriors or through Tacos Together, a local “community of communities” aggregator, who has partnered with the Utah Warriors in breaking this world record. Individual passes along with the commemorative t-shirt will be available starting next week on Seat Geek. Tickets to the match itself are available here.

The gates for the exhibition game open at 3 p.m. on September 17th, with kick-off happening at 4 p.m. The world record will be broken at 6:30 p.m., immediately after the match has ended. 

FAN FAQ

Q: Why does this matter?

A: Because bringing people together for a great cause, a great time, and to make great things happen is the best.

Q:How can fans participate?

A: Fans who purchase the $10 add-on to their tickets will be given a pass to participate in the event. The add-on will be available on SeatGeek starting next week.

Q: When will the world record be broken?

A: Right after the game finishes. Those who have purchased their pass to participate will be invited down to the field and split into two sides. 

Q: How will I know what to do in the scrum?

A: We will broadcast a demonstration video on the big screen as participants are assembling.

Q: Are we actually going to be pushing during the scrum?

A: Definitely not. Participants will lock arms side by side, and the individuals in the front will reach across to put arms on the shoulders of the participants across. No pushing allowed. Security will be on hand to eject any fans causing trouble.