WIBSEY Rugby Club have, quite simply, turned Bruce Mpofu's life around.

The Zimbabwean couldn't get a job and turned to robbery to get money, resulting in a prison sentence at Marshgate in Doncaster, which ended over three years ago.

Now the 23-year-old winger, who is still in danger of deportation back to his homeland, admits that he owes everything positive that has happened to him recently to the Yorkshire Division Five club.

The Bulawayan, who has lived in England for 14 years, says with irony: "I could not get a job before and turned to street robbery with some friends to earn money.

"But I have been out of prison for three years now, I am legally a British citizen and there are people at the club with all kinds of trades who want me to work for them but I am not allowed to.

"I have realised my mistakes and have grown up.

"The lads at the club don't judge me but they have taught me a lot and they all want to help me.

"Now I am a qualified football coach, and am a Level One chef. If I get to Level Two, I can work in kitchens."

Wibsey's first-team manager Steve Brooke, who helps Bruce out with beer, kit and clothes, said: "We take the mickey out of him but the lads at the club love him to bits."

West Bowling-based Mpofu, who could run 100 metres in quick time when he was 17 and can still shift, said: "I learnt rugby when I was in prison, and my coach there said I should find a club when I got out.

"A friend of mine played at Wibsey, so I came down here. This is my third season here and I got two tries in my first season, which were a fluke as I didn't really know what I was doing.

"But the lads kept telling me where I was going wrong on the field, and I got five tries last season and have already got five this season."

Mpofu added another chapter to the mickey taking by his team-mates when he was 'sent off' after 15 minutes by the referee at Knaresborough nine days ago for wearing navy blue tights.

Brooke added: "We told him that he couldn't wear them, but the lad who replaced him was playing so well that Bruce didn't get back on until the second half."

Mpofu said: "I have taken so much stick – both last weekend and through the week – for wearing the tights, !"

Wibsey's home match against Rossington Hornets was one of many to suffer a postponement at the weekend because of a waterlogged pitch, and even the light would have been an issue had the match started.

Also off were Cleckheaton's National League Three match at Rossendale, Bradford Salem hosting Scarborough in Yorkshire Division One, Old Grovians' home fixture against Knottingley in Yorkshire Division Two and Baildon's Yorkshire Division Three contest at Wetherby