Steve Borthwick is a pragmatist. Like most other athletes who have tasted life at the top, the former England captain would love to stop the sands in the hourglass. He can only watch time take its inevitable toll.
Instead of being with the touring England team in South Africa this month, Borthwick will be leading top English Premiership side Saracens against the BGC APBs (formerly the Asia Pacific Barbarians) for the Chartis Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium next Saturday.
'I would still want to be playing for England when I'm 50 years old,' says Borthwick. 'I loved every minute of playing for England and it was an incredible honour leading the side.'
You know there is a 'but' coming. Borthwick is in Tokyo, staying at the Shinjuku Hilton. He has just caught up with Eddie Jones, the former director of rugby at Saracens and now national coach of Japan.
'Realistically, the coaches are looking at younger guys as they think ahead to the next World Cup. And it is the right thing to do. As for me, I will continue trying to be the best player I can be, at least for another two years.'
At 32, Borthwick's shelf life as an international lock forward might just about have reached its expiry date. His career with England began in 2000 when he first emerged on the scene during the tour of South Africa. He won 57 caps, captaining England from 2008 to 2010 under the reign of Martin Johnson. As so often in rugby, injury ended his international career, and he failed to make the tour party to Australia and New Zealand in the summer of 2010.