Starting to play rugby at 45....
Discussion
A bucket list tick box if you like.
For the past 3/4 years I've been coaching the U7/8's at my local club.
I've also watched professional rugby for the last 20 years (season ticket at Leicester) so have a decent grasp of the game.
This coming season I'll be coaching the U9's and at this age they start contact.
I feel it only right that if I'm coaching contact I should be involved in contact myself - method coaching if you like
Now, I'm 45 years old, and the last game of rugby I played was at school some 30 years ago.
My club are always short of players for the 2nd XV so I'm going along to start training.
Anyone recommend that I don't do it?
Anyone started to play at a similar age?
Will it not end well....?
For the past 3/4 years I've been coaching the U7/8's at my local club.
I've also watched professional rugby for the last 20 years (season ticket at Leicester) so have a decent grasp of the game.
This coming season I'll be coaching the U9's and at this age they start contact.
I feel it only right that if I'm coaching contact I should be involved in contact myself - method coaching if you like
Now, I'm 45 years old, and the last game of rugby I played was at school some 30 years ago.
My club are always short of players for the 2nd XV so I'm going along to start training.
Anyone recommend that I don't do it?
Anyone started to play at a similar age?
Will it not end well....?
Plenty of 40+ players in my local league-you're talking union? Can't think of any players over 40 playing RL locally.
I know plenty of blokes who are fitter in than 40's than lads in their 20's. I find now I'm in my 30's I'm defiantly a yard or 5 off the pace than I was 10 years ago but conversely read the game a lot better. I play in the back row so rather than hit everything that moves in terms of rucks etc I choose my moments more.
Biggest draw back is if/when you take a knock you certainly won't heal like a 25 year old ;-)
What position will you play? Good on you and good luck.
I know plenty of blokes who are fitter in than 40's than lads in their 20's. I find now I'm in my 30's I'm defiantly a yard or 5 off the pace than I was 10 years ago but conversely read the game a lot better. I play in the back row so rather than hit everything that moves in terms of rucks etc I choose my moments more.
Biggest draw back is if/when you take a knock you certainly won't heal like a 25 year old ;-)
What position will you play? Good on you and good luck.
Do plenty of training to get your body - joints and tendons etc used to it. I stopped for 10 years and started again - limited training, played 2 games, loving it again. 3rd game I broke my leg and knackered my knee - not through contact but twisting round and leg giving way. I think it was because despite plenty of fitness and weight training - my body wasn't used to the fast dynamic twisting etc movements of a game
Union yes.
It's a great little club - last season (when the Tigers fixture list allowed) - I went and watched every home game we had and really got on with the senior players.
Great laugh in the bar afterwards too.
The nagging doubt in my mind is most certainly injuries - being self employed and injured could creat a problem!
Position wise, I'm thinking 2nd row although possibly not big enough (6'3.5" 96kg), if I was a bit faster then inside centre.
I think I'd prefer to be in the forwards as it appears a little slower....
Looking forward to it, and I most certainly know my limitations - I think the first sign of any injury during training and I'll be having second thoughts
I'll see how I go, but my back-up plan is to play touch rugby at a different club, but that won't help with my coaching the kids contact.
It's a great little club - last season (when the Tigers fixture list allowed) - I went and watched every home game we had and really got on with the senior players.
Great laugh in the bar afterwards too.
The nagging doubt in my mind is most certainly injuries - being self employed and injured could creat a problem!
Position wise, I'm thinking 2nd row although possibly not big enough (6'3.5" 96kg), if I was a bit faster then inside centre.
I think I'd prefer to be in the forwards as it appears a little slower....
Looking forward to it, and I most certainly know my limitations - I think the first sign of any injury during training and I'll be having second thoughts
I'll see how I go, but my back-up plan is to play touch rugby at a different club, but that won't help with my coaching the kids contact.
Edited by Zyp on Sunday 13th July 21:05
I've spoken with a number of ex-professional rugby players and a number of ex semi-pros and the one thing they all seem to have missed in not the match play so much as the training. Remarkable consistency all the way through.
If you've been coaching a youth side, have you considered helping to coach the seniors? More or less the same effort, just as much fulfilment and no need to keep score.
Oh, wait. 2nd row. You wouldn't know about the score.
If you've been coaching a youth side, have you considered helping to coach the seniors? More or less the same effort, just as much fulfilment and no need to keep score.
Oh, wait. 2nd row. You wouldn't know about the score.
I'm in a similar position to you in terms of coaching kids, although I didn't even play at school, as I was 15 before I went to a school that even played the game, and even there it was very much the minority sport.
I also thought, like you, that I'd like to try playing as well as coaching, but two things got in the way...
Firstly, between work and three young kids, I just haven't got the time to be able to dedicate to playing or training.
Secondly, our club is bigger than yours, in that they regularly field four adult fifteens plus a vets team. When you see them play, it's obvious that whilst the young guys have a yard or ten on the guys our sort of age, the vets have such a vast amount more game knowledge that those younger guys need every inch of that extra pace to compensate!
The thought of trying to start playing with none of the pace of the young guys and none of the nous of the old guys was more than enough to make me realise not to be so daft!
I also thought, like you, that I'd like to try playing as well as coaching, but two things got in the way...
Firstly, between work and three young kids, I just haven't got the time to be able to dedicate to playing or training.
Secondly, our club is bigger than yours, in that they regularly field four adult fifteens plus a vets team. When you see them play, it's obvious that whilst the young guys have a yard or ten on the guys our sort of age, the vets have such a vast amount more game knowledge that those younger guys need every inch of that extra pace to compensate!
The thought of trying to start playing with none of the pace of the young guys and none of the nous of the old guys was more than enough to make me realise not to be so daft!
Zyp said:
Union yes.
It's a great little club - last season (when the Tigers fixture list allowed) - I went and watched every home game we had and really got on with the senior players.
Great laugh in the bar afterwards too.
The nagging doubt in my mind is most certainly injuries - being self employed and injured could creat a problem!
Position wise, I'm thinking 2nd row although possibly not big enough (6'3.5" 96kg), if I was a bit faster then inside centre.
I think I'd prefer to be in the forwards as it appears a little slower....
Looking forward to it, and I most certainly know my limitations - I think the first sign of any injury during training and I'll be having second thoughts
I'll see how I go, but my back-up plan is to play touch rugby at a different club, but that won't help with my coaching the kids contact.
Height for a lock is somewhat negated by lifting in the lineout. I’m a bit over 6’4” and at times I’ve stepped in when we’ve been short or mid game injuries have occurred and shuffled the pack, you get some bean poles as well as big units in our county league too but never felt short the majority of games.It's a great little club - last season (when the Tigers fixture list allowed) - I went and watched every home game we had and really got on with the senior players.
Great laugh in the bar afterwards too.
The nagging doubt in my mind is most certainly injuries - being self employed and injured could creat a problem!
Position wise, I'm thinking 2nd row although possibly not big enough (6'3.5" 96kg), if I was a bit faster then inside centre.
I think I'd prefer to be in the forwards as it appears a little slower....
Looking forward to it, and I most certainly know my limitations - I think the first sign of any injury during training and I'll be having second thoughts
I'll see how I go, but my back-up plan is to play touch rugby at a different club, but that won't help with my coaching the kids contact.
Edited by Zyp on Sunday 13th July 21:05
Do you have any insurance, thinking along the lines of income protection? Not sure whether I could risk my livelihood on fear of an injury laying me up for an extended period.
Kermit power said:
I'm in a similar position to you in terms of coaching kids, although I didn't even play at school, as I was 15 before I went to a school that even played the game, and even there it was very much the minority sport.
I also thought, like you, that I'd like to try playing as well as coaching, but two things got in the way...
Firstly, between work and three young kids, I just haven't got the time to be able to dedicate to playing or training.
Secondly, our club is bigger than yours, in that they regularly field four adult fifteens plus a vets team. When you see them play, it's obvious that whilst the young guys have a yard or ten on the guys our sort of age, the vets have such a vast amount more game knowledge that those younger guys need every inch of that extra pace to compensate!
The thought of trying to start playing with none of the pace of the young guys and none of the nous of the old guys was more than enough to make me realise not to be so daft!
I played for the first time two years ago at the age of 44; same story: coaching kids, being co-opted for the vets team.I also thought, like you, that I'd like to try playing as well as coaching, but two things got in the way...
Firstly, between work and three young kids, I just haven't got the time to be able to dedicate to playing or training.
Secondly, our club is bigger than yours, in that they regularly field four adult fifteens plus a vets team. When you see them play, it's obvious that whilst the young guys have a yard or ten on the guys our sort of age, the vets have such a vast amount more game knowledge that those younger guys need every inch of that extra pace to compensate!
The thought of trying to start playing with none of the pace of the young guys and none of the nous of the old guys was more than enough to make me realise not to be so daft!
I'd never played before - not at school, not in the Army and not since - so stuck myself out on the wing...
Great fun, and I've still got a reasonable turn of speed in my legs, but years of pure running and cycling have rendered me ridiculously vulnerable to injury in contact so after a slack handful of games I've quietly dropped it.
My third game saw a lumpy forward land on my outstretched right leg, straining the ligaments enough to earn me six weeks' physio - and I value my fitness too much to risk it all on the pitch.
Have played some union but I actually started playing RL again last year - however I play something called Masters rather than open age. Much more of a social thing with a bit of rugby thrown in
For the poster above just to show that RL is available as well for those who want to play the proper game
www.mastersrl.co.uk
Played an Aussie touring team last week. They play hard
For the poster above just to show that RL is available as well for those who want to play the proper game
www.mastersrl.co.uk
Played an Aussie touring team last week. They play hard
Go for it. I've played rugby for a long time, and I've played with a lot of 'older' guys. I've played with two in their 60's (one hung up his boots at 65, interestingly enough both were 9's) and plenty in their 50's. There tends to be a huge range in their fitness as well, some of the hardest/fittest/strongest guys I've played with have been the older ones (the types that turn up for a match following a tri in the morning) and quite a lot of the slowest/unfittest/fattest people (generally props). At 6'3 you'll be a shoe in for second row tbh. And playing in the pack is far superior to playing in the back with the girls.
There'll be a bit of a learning curve, but tbh it's not a hard game. Training is nice if you want to get fit, but from my point of view it's all about the social side now. The advantage of playing in a team with a lot of older guys in it is that the social side is a bit more tempered!
First time posting on here, as my mate drew my attention to this thread and felt I should contribute. To give it some context, 41 year old currently lying on his sofa, with his leg elevated following ACL reconstruction surgery on Friday. You can guess what caused it...yep last game of the seasons, 3's vs Dads and Coaches. Two minutes in and cleared out at a ruck. Went back on for the last fifteen minutes, which probably didn't help!
I've played off and on since I was 9, with never more then a few years break between playing. Most of the injuries I've sustained have been minor, this is by far the biggest one I've had. And I'm gutted that it's going to mean missing the next season. I've been told 9 months before resuming contact, and as I plan to keep playing for another 10 years I'm not going to rush back into it. If you're self-employed (in fact if you can afford it full stop) I'd get private health cover. I injured my leg at the end of May, and it's taken until now because it took a week to see the GP and then a week for the GP to send out a referral letter, and then the consultant I wanted to see (he's done about 1/3 of my team) was on holidays. If I'd gone down the NHS route god knows when I'd be seen.
Once you play it's bloody addictive, particularly when you're playing out of choice rather then being forced to by a sadistic PE teacher!
There'll be a bit of a learning curve, but tbh it's not a hard game. Training is nice if you want to get fit, but from my point of view it's all about the social side now. The advantage of playing in a team with a lot of older guys in it is that the social side is a bit more tempered!
First time posting on here, as my mate drew my attention to this thread and felt I should contribute. To give it some context, 41 year old currently lying on his sofa, with his leg elevated following ACL reconstruction surgery on Friday. You can guess what caused it...yep last game of the seasons, 3's vs Dads and Coaches. Two minutes in and cleared out at a ruck. Went back on for the last fifteen minutes, which probably didn't help!
I've played off and on since I was 9, with never more then a few years break between playing. Most of the injuries I've sustained have been minor, this is by far the biggest one I've had. And I'm gutted that it's going to mean missing the next season. I've been told 9 months before resuming contact, and as I plan to keep playing for another 10 years I'm not going to rush back into it. If you're self-employed (in fact if you can afford it full stop) I'd get private health cover. I injured my leg at the end of May, and it's taken until now because it took a week to see the GP and then a week for the GP to send out a referral letter, and then the consultant I wanted to see (he's done about 1/3 of my team) was on holidays. If I'd gone down the NHS route god knows when I'd be seen.
Once you play it's bloody addictive, particularly when you're playing out of choice rather then being forced to by a sadistic PE teacher!
I really liked playing rugby in my teens.
I was a fairly mobile forward with getting to the action, tackling and grappling/gaining possession being my strengths. Finesse less so... I managed to get to county level, but wasn't good enough for regional.
At 36, having slowed down and suffered many injuries since, I couldn't possibly play like that now. I'd be constantly worrying about my knees and other joints.
I attempted to take up MMA (wrestling and thai boxing) earlier this year, which I really enjoyed, and had to give it up due to the return of various injuries.
I was a fairly mobile forward with getting to the action, tackling and grappling/gaining possession being my strengths. Finesse less so... I managed to get to county level, but wasn't good enough for regional.
At 36, having slowed down and suffered many injuries since, I couldn't possibly play like that now. I'd be constantly worrying about my knees and other joints.
I attempted to take up MMA (wrestling and thai boxing) earlier this year, which I really enjoyed, and had to give it up due to the return of various injuries.
Edited by MC Bodge on Tuesday 15th July 09:45
Make sure you get a months worth of training in before you play, couple this with plenty of stretches.
I learnt the hard way and only managed 3 games in 4 years resulting in a broken ankle and rupturing both Achilles on separate occasions.
Stretch, run, press ups etc. don't throw yourself straight into a game whether you're 18 or 55.
I play both codes and you can hide more in RU due to the nature of the sport which should help you.
I learnt the hard way and only managed 3 games in 4 years resulting in a broken ankle and rupturing both Achilles on separate occasions.
Stretch, run, press ups etc. don't throw yourself straight into a game whether you're 18 or 55.
I play both codes and you can hide more in RU due to the nature of the sport which should help you.
Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff