Wymondham rugby club forward Dave Sillett is living proof age is no barrier.The 41-year-old made a winning London Four North East debut in a recent 20-15 home success over Basildon to cap a remarkable journey into senior rugby after only taking up the game four years ago.

Wymondham rugby club forward Dave Sillett is living proof age is no barrier.

The 41-year-old made a winning London Four North East debut in a recent 20-15 home success over Basildon to cap a remarkable journey into senior rugby after only taking up the game four years ago.

Prop Sillett then marked his home debut with a rampaging close range try in the reigning Eastern Counties Division One champions' 24-18 defeat to South Woodham Ferrers.

Wymondham's bid to pull away from the lower reaches of the table against table topping Colchester on Saturday was frustrated by the white out that wrecked the sporting calendar.

Sillett is now looking forward to another Essex clash against Canvey Island this weekend after converting from the round ball game.

'It was something I'd always fancied doing, I played football for about 12 years or so I guess but I was getting to old for it so I decided to have a go,' he said. 'When I first started I got put out on the wing, then I moved up to blindside flanker before finishing at prop but I came on as hooker when Neil Harris had to go off against Basildon.

'It's the physical contact I like most, I mean hugging the opposition, it's a really good character building sport. You dish it out but you have to take it too.'

Sillett admits he is now a rugby convert.

'I don't play other sport,' he said. 'This is everything to me. People think I'm a bit stupid to take it up at my age but our skipper Morf (John Morfoot) is 46 so there's plenty of time for me. I hope I've got on all right. I've scored a few tries and that sort of thing. I just like everything about it. Old men, young men, it's the greatest sport there is in my eyes at the moment. I prefer rugby any day to football. I wish I'd started sooner.'

Sillett's team also won the Norfolk and Eastern Counties Cups last season. They also boast a thriving mini rugby section, with the under-10s having battled through to the semi-finals of the Leicester Tigers' Prima Cup series.