Alan Goggin: Colchester & Clacton rugby prop still playing at 78

He may not have the speed or flair - or even the hairstyle - of Henry Pollock but for sheer enjoyment of rugby, Alan Goggin is a match for the England back row.

And at 78 years of age, he is still going strong, turning out regularly for Colchester RFC's fourth XV, nicknamed the Cavaliers, plus veteran sides and Clacton.

The tight-head prop took up the game at school and has now been playing for more than 60 years alongside other interests like athletics, football and waterskiing - and not even heart surgery back in 2014 could stop him.

"If you say 'why do I keep playing?' – because I can," he told BBC Essex.

"It just gives me a wonderful feeling but I'm aware that every game could be, not the last game ever, but I'm working towards that end at some stage. At the moment there's a long horizon."

Goggin has led a busy life, winning British and European titles in waterskiing and, as a former mayor of Brightlingsea, being active in local politics.

The love of rugby, though, has never left him, having first been introduced to the game at Robert Clack School in Dagenham, which he played alongside athletics, with pole vaulting his speciality, and local football, later turning out for Harwich & Parkeston FC.

"After that I drifted a bit further into waterskiing which was a fabulous period of about 20 years – I was lucky enough to be in the sport when it was growing and there was a lot of television coverage," he said.

His club rugby career after school began at Clacton, then Brightlingsea and latterly Colchester - although he still turns out for other clubs if they do not have a game.

"I'm not unique in being a senior person playing rugby - all around East Anglia there's an element of older persons still playing," said Goggin.

"The section of rugby that's booming at the moment is veterans' rugby – but veterans is over-35s. At my age, someone over 35 is practically a child and it's interesting to play at that level.

"Recently, there's been a move in East Anglia to play Super Vets rugby – and Super Vets is 50 (and over). All over the county there are vets playing every weekend and that shows the love for the sport that a lot of people have.

"If you're over 50 and still playing rugby, at some stage you've been a pretty good player."

He added: "Veterans' rugby on the pitch is as keenly contested on the pitch as any level of rugby I've ever played in. (But) Whatever your sport is, whether it's cricket or rugby or something else, if you can walk on the pitch then play it."

Alan Goggin was speaking to BBC Essex's Ben Fryer

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