Any other rugby vets still playing ?

[rugby bloke]

Had my once a month game yesterday ... this morning I remember why I play once a month, difficult to think of a part of my body which does not hurt !! This was my last game in my 40s, cannot believe I'll be 50 next time I play.

Any one else still drag themselves through this madness ?

 

[Diggs]

I gave up 11 years ago, the Diglets had just arrived and I couldn't justify being out most of Saturday and not being that mobile on Sunday. Occasionally I miss it but it's not that I could have said to just give me a call when you need a player, as a)I'd have been called EVERY week and b) I found my body would need to be conditioned into playing.
Nowadays of course, the Diglets are playing mini rugby for the local club and I'm getting more involved again (albeit mainly in a nonplaying capacity).
Kudos for still keeping it up, I recall playing in a 3rd XV game a few years ago against Welwyn and there was a guy in his 70s having a run out!

 

[Stevec047]

I would love to get back playing rugby but a serious injury to my knee whilst playing rugby in my 20's put pay to that. Tried a couple of times but I just don't have the support in my knee to be able too. Reason why I am cycling and not running.

Good on you for keeping it up it is always amazing when you see guys in there 50's rocking up for a full on match I am in my 30's and even without the knee issue I would struggle.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I briefly toyed with the idea last year but never followed through with it, which I now regret, so this year I am going to toy with the idea once again and see what I do; I cannae keep bottling it tho so at some point I'll need to just turn up and say "right nobbers, what's the crack with this Vets rugby lark?"

I retired due to a bad injury in 1st year at Uni which was 30 years ago this year so now seems as good a time as any - I went back to playing football last year and am a lot fitter than I was so the training aspect might not be as hard this year! The hits will still wreck me tho.

 

[dan_bo]

Sacked it off when I was 17 after a big hit....20 odd years ago. Sorry, I'm a pussy, frankly.

 

[wisdom]

Played a veterans fun game a couple of years ago.No fun ached for a week, then hung boots up for good.

 

[subaqua]

Sacked it off when I was 17 after a big hit....20 odd years ago. Sorry, I'm a pussy, frankly.

No , not a pussy, just sensible.

I stopped after i went to the docs with clicking knees , shoulders and a dull pain in lower back. he also played rugby and had tackled me hard several times in matches. his advise was to stop playing if you want to be walking when you are 30 . I was 18, and continued for a few more years then went back and got told the same. so i heeded his advice.

 

[coco69]

Last game was about 5 years ago but like many others i have knee issues....miss the build up...the game..the fight and the banter after

 

[rugby bloke]

I actually packed it in when I turned 30 and a baby ... almost 20 years down the line he is in the 1st team and I've been pursued back into playing by the lads I coach with. Great fun but the body definitely feels it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Have played once, in a colour coded/graded vets/oldies game, since I stopped reffing three seasons ago. Don't tell tlh. She thought I was cycling. The oldest player was in his late sixties. Oh and I played one game of vets sevens. Walking rugby could catch on!

Someone from one of my old clubs put the 91/92 1st XV picture up on line at the weekend. Two of my younger b-i-l's in Firsts with me. They in early 20's and on the rise, me in early 30's and already over the hill. Happy day's though I used to loath playing for the firsts; much preferred being vice-captain in the Second XV. I was only in the start line up as I had inadvertently broken the club captain's leg four days earlier in training. Got man-of-the match in four out of first five weeks and then got dropped! Thereafter I simply didn't return the calls late on Friday asking if I would step up. (A very good rule for life I find) End of the season I left that club for good and played strictly coarse rugby thereafter.

Two years later, moment of weakness I find myself in a 1st XV again.... Boom... brain injury. One concussion too many.

Hence the don't tell tlh I was playing 25 years later. Son of one of those b-i-l's is now skip of his local club and his dad still turns out for our old clubs 2nd XV (only two sides now, there were four in my day)