GET FIT FOR '05: YOU are never too old to tackle rugby says former England and Bath captain Phil de Glanville. He helped launch a scheme to get older people to leave their firesides and get on the pitch.

He was on hand to offer expert advice at the launch of Swindon Council's Masters in Sport initiative aimed at getting older people to play sport, including the specially adapted tag rugby.

Phil, 36, said: "There's no age limit, upper or lower, to who can play tag rugby.

"Unlike normal rugby there is no physical contact you tackle someone by pulling a tag off their waist.

"There can be a lot of running involved but you can also walk through it if you want."

He hopes that the Masters in Sport programme will target people who used to play sports but gave up as they got older.

"There are various drop-off points in life when people give up sport," he said.

"One is when you leave school, another is when something dramatic happens in your life like you have children.

"On average, levels of physical activity do decrease with age.

"And there are more over 60 year-olds in the country than under 16 year-olds so there's a lot less people playing sport."

He believes people's experiences of playing sports at school can put them off trying it again.

"The whole provision of sport now is less about forcing people to do it and more about providing different options for them.

"There's a lot more movement and dance lessons for instance."

But the programme is not about creating supergrans or supermen according to Phil.

He said: "We're not trying to get older people to run the marathon or anything like that.

"It's about building a reasonable level of physical activity into their week.

"People do need motivation.

"There has been a lot of lottery money spent on improving sports facilities but that has not made a big difference to the number of people playing sports.

"So it's not about changing facilities it's about changing people's attitudes. People know about the health benefits of playing sports, they don't need educating.

"But they do need hooks they can grab hold of."

Phil lives in Bath with his wife Yolanda, 35 and three children, Jake, seven, Tom, five and Ollie, two.

His oldest son Jake has already started playing tag rubgy.

Phil said: "I didn't encourage him to do it he asked to try it and he loves it.

"I've steered away from pushing him into anything."

Tag rugby will take place at the Dorcan Recreation Complex 11-11.30am on Sundays from April 10.

To find out more about the Masters in Sport programme call the Masters Development Officer on 01793 514401.

Diana Milne