95-year-old Scottish man could be the world's oldest rugby player
Rugby is a tough, physical sport. It’s contact-heavy, with lots of scrumming and tackling. And a sport like that is exactly what 95-year-old Easton Roy loves. Roy, who is from Scotland, recently stepped into a rugby match to commemorate his 95th birthday, and according to the BBC, he is thought to be the world’s oldest rugby player.
Roy isn’t new to rugby. He first started playing during World War II, after joining the Royal Air Force. After he returned from the war, he played for the Stirling County Rugby Football Club, and kept right on playing for 60 years! In 2008, at 85 years old, he decided to retire — to give the younger players a chance, of course.
At the match, which was between Stirling County RFC legends and current players, Roy impressed everyone. Club player and match organizer Allan Imrie talked about him in glowing terms (well, glowing terms for rugby).
“Some people might have worried about his age and whether he’d hurt himself but he’s really unbreakable.
“He was up and down the pitch like a youngster and I can vouch that he’s still rock solid in the scrum – it’s like scrumming a brick wall.”
Roy was in his element, and he didn’t hold back. Not only did he play for the entire 40 minute match, the BBC said that he left a few players on the opposing team “battered and bruised.” Roy even scored the decisive try that won the legends team the match. And he couldn’t have been more thrilled about his experience.
Easton said: “It was good fun. I was a bit apprehensive because I’ve not pulled on my boots for a good while, but I felt alright when I got out on the pitch.
“It was great seeing the old boys and reviving the old memories.
“I keep myself pretty fit in the gym and I go out for a wee jog but nothing beats playing a game of rugby.”
Easton, who celebrated after the game by swigging from a bottle of port, added: “I didn’t feel the pain until after I sobered up.
This 95-year-old man was swigging from a bottle of port (!) after playing 40 minutes of rugby. That’s just phenomenal. But the best part? He told the BBC he plans to keep going and play in next year’s legends match. That term is completely appropriate, because Easton Roy is definitely a legend.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @lizroscher
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