Friday night saw the annual fixture between Colchester’s Roman Ruins & Suffolk Vets, celebrating another year of Alan Goggin’s continuing to play the game he loves.

Alan celebrated his 78th birthday during the previous week – are there any other 78 year old tight-heads (or even any other 78 year olds) still playing the game every Saturday?

And what a celebration !

Mark Watmough assembled 2 squads, with the Ruins fielding 28, & Suffolk Vets 25 players, representing no less than 9 different clubs, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Ipswich YM, Harwich. Mistley, Clacton, Halstead, Weston & Witham.

With most players over 45, & some considerably older than that, the size of both squads ensued that all players could have a break when they were weary. Whilst Alan started the game, his own son, Ben, at 53 also a super vet, had to content himself with a place on the bench.

Such was the importance of the occasion, the RFU even sent their Videographer to record the spectacle!

The Suffolk squad raced into a 33-0 lead within 10 minutes. It looked as if the Ruins would respond when Bart Wilkinson, playing at Full-Back, made a dazzling run through the traffic into the Suffolk 22; with the try line at his mercy, he inexplicably kicked ahead to no avail.

The Ruins gradually got into the game, & scored 2 tries through the quick thinking of Bart 5m out & then Eric O’Driscoll darted through, to give a score of 12-33 after the first 20 minute session.

The second period was more profitable with the Colchester scrum (the front row alone with a combined age of 198 years) dominating, & tries to Liam Baker-Mole, Luke Woodgate & Bart Wilkinson (again) to register a score of 45-29 after 40 minutes.

Although Lee Person scored a sixth for the Ruins, Suffolk rather ran away with the game in the final quarter, notching up a score of 74-34 into the 77th minute. A knock-on by Suffolk 5 metres from their try line at 78 minutes was collected by no less than Alan himself, & he was dragged over the line by his pack to register a seventh try for the Ruins. Never a kicker himself, Goggin’s attempted conversion flew short & wide.

The final score was registered as 74-39, though in reality no-one was too concerned. The important thing was a game of rugby played in a fantastic spirit, enabling 53 vets to enjoy an evening of rugby in great company., & to celebrate Alan’s 78th birthday.

Alan thanked all those involved “a great game of grass roots rugby, giving players at other clubs the opportunity of playing on Colchester’s all-weather pitch” The port flowed in the bar afterwards. With donations & match fee's, £300.00 was raised for Teenage Cancer Trust........

As a post-script, Colchester’s 4th XV were short of props the following day; Alan answered the call, & played a further half on Saturday afternoon - the mans a machine!

Saturday is for rugby after all.......