The Return of a Hero

Looking back on what was one of the most anxious and bizarre 18 months in our memory one of the positive things to come out of 2020/21 was the opportunity and time it gave me to reflect on 55 years of Groggs and how we got to where we are now. I thought a lot about how Dad would have coped with the unusual circumstances which helped direct me towards the ideas and pieces we have made during the most challenging of times for the shop. Along with Sir Gareth Edwards, who played a huge part in the history of our development, was a player who throughout the tough years of the eighties in Wales was a particular inspiration to me and was long overdue remodelling and a return to our collection. So I was delighted when Cathy rediscovered one of my first Groggs of Terry Holmes made in 1979. It took me right back to those good old days....specifically a young Terry Holmes and Gareth Davies popping into the shop to shoot the breeze with Dad. At the time this also had the side effect of bringing production to a standstill for a couple of hours as I’d be drawn out of my back room to (rather shyly) earwig the fascinating conversation. Terry was a huge hero of mine. He had, after all, taken on the impossible task of trying to fill the boots of the greatest player of all time and he did it in his own inimitable style. Terry was huge physical presence, a force of nature who sometimes seemed to carry all of Wales’s hopes on his broad shoulders. I will never forget his first home match for Wales in Cardiff against New Zealand in 1978. He had an outstanding game against Graham Mourie’s All Blacks and barring a famous controversial referring decision Wales would have won that day. However, another Welsh scrum half hero was born and throughout the 1980’s Terry Holmes bestrode the World of rugby Union like a colossus.

From a young Grogg makers point of view he was a great subject and I made several different versions of him over that decade but I was keen to see how he would look given a modern Groggy makeover. I loved looking back over the photographs from that period and making Terry again brought back a lot of memories. One picture in particular which has survived thanks to Simon’s meticulous filing system summed up the “new look” figure I wanted to make. Taken at John Scott’s wedding reception it caught Terry deep in thought while Dad and Scotty’s brother chatted away. 

Thanks again for the walk down memory lane Terry ...it’s great to have you back!

Limited to 1000 pieces.

Priced at £89.95 plus £6.00 P+P UK Next Day Delivery (If in stock & ordered before 2pm - inscriptions 1-2 days extra) / Worldwide Postage £60.