“Still loves it” – 5 rugby stars you didn't know are still playing, including Mike Tindall

This England rugby legend is also lending his support to an England Rugby campaign aimed at encouraging more players to return to the sport.

The pandemic caused a significant disruption to grassroots fifteen-a-side rugby, resulting in an 18-month hiatus. Although much of the sport has resumed its normal operations, research indicates that social players in men's rugby have not returned to their pre-COVID levels. Similar to athletes in other sports, some rugby players have lost the habit of representing their local teams every weekend.

As he prepared for a midweek training session at Minchinhampton, where he occasionally takes the field for the 2nd and 3rd XVs, Mike expressed his thoughts: “It’s important that we try to get more people back at clubs. It’s such a great game and the values are so good. 

"You can fall into not playing after covid, because you’ve had a break and it’s then hard to re-engage. I’d say just get back out there, go and see your mates, build up gradually and throw the ball around.”

“The social aspect is why we play rugby, why we get involved in our local club, it’s the end of season tours, the midweek curries, the post-training beers, that’s what rugby is, it drives communities,” said Mike.

To find your nearest rugby club and ‘Get Back In The Game’ visit findrugby.com

Get your tickets to the Rugby World Cup matches at viagogo, the world’s leading ticket marketplace. Find out how by clicking here.

Oxford Harlequins welcomed the former premiership record try scorer who will take on a dual role combining his rugby management career with his exceptional rugby talent.

Varndell has agreed to assume the position of Head of Rugby at Oxford Brookes University, which has close links to Oxford Harlequins.

In addition to his management role, he will also become the Head of Community at the club, while still playing for the team.

Marcus Boswell, the student sport manager at Oxford Brookes had the following to say about their star capture;

The former Ireland and Lions flanker returned to Leinster, this summer, to take up a coaching role with a side he won multiple league and European titles with O'Brien.

However, he just couldn't stay retired, making his rugby comeback with Naas RFC.

O'Brien had been seeking to play for his club, Tullow, when he returned from his professional rugby stint in England, with London Irish.

That move to a junior-level side was prevented when the domestic level section of the Leinster Rugby branch stated it would be going against safety guidelines for a just retired professional to immediately drop down to play at that level.

Simpson joined seventh tier Old Priorians in February, and made his debut for the Saints the following weekend against London Sussex.

The scrum-half - who made 230 appearances for Wasps in the Premiership (along with spells for Gloucester, Bath and Sale) and played for England at the 2011 World Cup - retired from the professional game in December 2022 and follows his brother Michael in pulling on the OPs shirt.

The World Cup-winning tighthead has played in four or five charity games this season and doesn't appear to have lost a step.

He retired with 73 England caps and five Test appearances for the Lions, three of them against Australia in 2001 and two versus the Springboks in 2009.Advertisement

Although he missed the 2003 Grand Slam campaign through injury, Vickery returned to play a key role in England's World Cup triumph in Australia.

The All Black legend played a match for his childhood club Southbridge last month, scoring 12 points for his boyhood side.

He played the full 80 minutes and scored six of his seven kicks at goal as his side beat West Melton 54-14. Following the game, Carter revealed he intends to play a bigger part at his local club moving forward.