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Jimmy Gopperth: Leicester Tigers fly-half on playing at 39, surfing & state of rugby

Jimmy Gopperth in action for Leicester Tigers and also surfingGetty Images/Jimmy Gopperth

Jimmy Gopperth says surfing has played a major part in his longevity as a professional rugby union player

By Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport

Leicester Tigers fly-half and ionate surfer Jimmy Gopperth says he has ridden rugby union's wave of success.

He also fears what the wipeout suffered by his former club Wasps could do to his legacy in the game.

At the age of 39, he is the oldest active player in the Premiership and aims to be just the second in the competition's history to continue beyond 40.

Surfing, he says, has been key to nurturing his body and mind in that time.

It is with sadness that the New Zealander talks about possibly even outlasting his former club Wasps.

Gopperth moved to English champions Leicester in the summer, just months before the financially-stricken club went into istration and were eventually suspended and relegated from England's top-flight.

When asked if he is concerned about the state of rugby union following the Coventry-based club's collapse - and similarly traumatic demise of Worcester, Gopperth replied: "I think I'm very privileged because I think I've seen the best of it.

"It hurt me personally, I'd just come from Wasps and had loads of friends there.

"It's very obvious with clubs going under that something has to happen.

"There is loads of chat that other clubs are in a similar situation. You don't like to see it. It's people's livelihoods, it's the game we love - and not just the players but the ers.

"Hopefully in the long run they get something more sustainable together so that all these teams can really drive forward.

"All we can do on the field is give 110% every single time we are out there to make it exciting, and to give people something to cheer and be excited about."

Jimmy Gopperth training with WaspsGetty Images

Gopperth (right) left Wasps for Leicester Tigers in the summer

Despite having left the club, Gopperth says he has been financially caught up in the situation at Wasps.

But it is all that he achieved at the club - his 156 games over seven years, two Premiership final appearances, as well as the Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards collected along the way - that he fears will be diminished if Wasps fail to be revived.

"If they never come back, they are gone," he told BBC Sport.

"I've got all this playing history - 150-odd games for this club that is 150-odd years old - and if I talk to someone in future about Wasps and what I did there they might say 'who are they">