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Seen here enjoying a quiet post match drink at home.
Jim formed the team originally
as the Anchor Inn XV to play Crowbrough RFC for a pre-season warm up in
1996. The score of this match has been lost in the mists of time,
but the titanic re-match in '97 was won by the Anchor with a 1pt margin.
Consequently, Crowbrough sent their finest drinkers to Hartfield to contest
the fastest pint competion. James 'Pocahontas' Thomson (powerhouse
of the second row) easily defeated all comers and the Anchor triumphed
again. The evening that followed sends shivers down the spines of neighbours
of the pub to this day.
As the '98/'99 season approached, no match had been arranged and things looked like going the way of many pub sides, down the toilet. Apart from winning the tug of war at the local fete nothing was doing. The season began and an approach was made from a peculiar Mr Gilbert, a recent immigrant to the area and the chosen representative of the inventively named Hatch Celebrity XV. After much disscussion and negotiation (naturally aided by Harveys Sussex), a charity event was arranged and the committe at Crowbrough RFC kindly allowed use of their facilities.
Players of a certain calibre were required for this match and the Tiggers selection panel scoured the length and breadth of the rugby world. Much thought and many sleepless nights were spent discssing and arguing over positions, colours and tactics. Such was the anguish experienced by the panel that the members of it made for Essex for a quiet weekend to hammer out details. This duly achieved, shirts were ordered and the design changed again at the very last minute. T-shirts were aquired for easy identification in the bar afterwards, the stage was set. On the other side many celebrities names were being bandied around in a feeble attempt to shake the nerve of the mighty Tiggers but this did not (except in a few isolated cases)suceed, all was ready.
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