I’m UK’s oldest rugby player – I want to keep playing into my 80s

BRITAIN’S oldest rugby player has celebrated his 75th birthday — and has vowed to carry on scrummaging into his 80s.

Brian Sampson turns out every Saturday despite being three times the age of most of his playing pals.

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The sprightly father of two, who has one granddaughter, has played 56 seasons, racking up close to 2,000 games.

But retirement is not on his mind. He said: “I know I won’t go on forever but I don’t know when I’ll stop.

“For now, all I’m thinking about is next Saturday’s game.”

Brian, now semi-retired after a career in agriculture, began playing at school and was a full-back with Leicester Tigers in 1965.

After a spell in Nigeria, he joined Oakham RFC in the East Midlands on his return to Britain in the late 1980s — and has not missed a season since.

Now a second row in the club’s second XV, he turned 75 on November 2.

He admits he is slowing down, despite his pre-match tonic of a pint of squash mixed with an energy drink.

But he said: “I love it and it keeps me young.”