WATCH: The Japanese veteran rugby team that has an 86-year-old player
An over 40’s team in Japan has an average age of well over 50 and it is brilliant to see the effect that it is having on those players. The Japanese team is called Tokyo’s Fuwaka Rugby Club and the team consists of players that are playing well past the age of the normal retirement age.
One of the players in this team is a Japanese doctor called Ryuichi Nagayama and he is 86-years-old. Nagayama is the oldest member of the club and he has a brilliant philosophy to when it comes to playing rugby at his age.
The Japanese veteran said:
“You tackle and battle, but the gathering after the game is so enjoyable and fun. We talk about how each other played and noone gets angry about how we played. The atmosphere is great”.
Playing rugby, of course, carries with it many risks. The doctor stated that he knows the risks that come with playing a contact sport at such a great age. Nagayama said that he has broken ribs playing for Fuwake, as well as his collarbone.
CREDIT: South China Morning Post
The doctor continued, saying:
When I notice and irregular pulse, I take medicine to compensate. So I can still do it. No , I can’t stand not playing, that’s it. This may sound strange, but I lost my wife years ago and now I say, I don’t mind dying playing rugby”.
It’s safe to say that the bond created from playing rugby is irreversible. It’s apparent from watching this video that these players are playing for the enjoyment and nothing else.
Looking at Europe and across the UK and Ireland, it’s apparent that the veteran scene is alive and well. Royston Rugby Club is one of the most popular veteran teams around and they commonly have players that are over 60.
