OH, MY RIBS!

A substantial part of turning 30 can be defined as a contact with the self. That round number, 30, makes you think about your life, and especially about your youth. Some move on, acknowledging that a new phase in their lives has begun. Me, I decided I am still young and did the right thing:
went back to playing rugby!
Yes, I have re-started playing rugby a couple of weeks ago. After having played for 11 years and having stopped for 5, I thought that it would be a smart thing to do to go back to playing with 20-year old Englishmen, slightly bigger and in better shape than me. Given that I have been away for the past two weeks, my first experience was this last Tuesday’s game against Girton (one of the top 3 teams in the Cambridge college league).
To make things short: I survived!!!
And survived the whole 80 minutes of bashing and clashing with those kids. Conclusions:
1 – They run fast.
2 – Maybe 1 is incorrect and it’s me who runs slowly.
3 – If you tackle a forward twice your size, your shoulder will pop (It is ok now).
4 – A knee against your ribs can make you go without sleep and make it difficult to sit or lay down for at least 2 days (I am still suffering). Yes. I got a knee on my ribs and couldn’t really move after the game. I am better now, but will still have to rest for another 2 days.
The only consolation is (and sorry for the lack of modesty), that I was the top scorer, with 2 tries and 4 conversions, totaling 18 points out of the 53-12 win over our opponents in home soil.
Now, my motto for the rest of the games will be:
“Playing is good, surviving is better, ribs are indispensable!”