GROGGS FAN SHOWCASES COLLECTION
Russell’s rugby figures get pride of placea ace
AWELSH rugby fan who has spent thousands of pounds collecting Groggs showcases them all in an impressive display at his home. Mechanic Russell Davies has amassed more than 190 Groggs after he started collecting them around six years ago.
Dubbed as “the the most famous pieces of rugby by pottery on Earth”, Groggs are re clay figures shaped to look like sporting heroes, film stars, rs, musicians, animals and professional characters.
Russell’s impressive ressive collection is insured d for around £35,000 but the he 44-year-old said most of his figures are priceless.
“It all started d in 2012, when my wife made the mistake of buying ng me my first one as a Christmas present.
“It was the super uper Shane Williams Grogg, g, where he’s running with his is finger in the air. It was made to commemorate him breaking ng the Welsh try-scoring record rd in 2010.
“Over the next ext few years I was told ld by my wife that t I wasn’t allowed to go to the Grogg g shop because e she knew what would happen. “So I would get them for birthdays, Christmas and Valentine’s Day as p presents.” But b by the end of 2015 Russ Russell visited the famo famous Grogg shop hi himself. Located in Pontypr typridd, the shop – whi which has become som something of a tourist attra attraction – was establishe lished in 1965 by John Hughe Hughes and is now run by his ch children Richard and Ca Cathy. “It just exploded from there,” Russell said. According to the w website Groggs can rang range from around £30 to £30 £300, depending on the style an and edition. Not sure exactly how much his collection is worth, Russell Ru said it was “in the thousands”. thous “The “They are insured for £35,0 £35,000 but a lot of them are irreplaceable – even with the insurance money in your hand ndd you wouldn’t find some of them. heem.
“A lot are available in thhe the shop but the older ones sold out ouut years ago.”
As well as the Welsh sh h rugby team, Russell also has Groggs GroggsG in the form of the All Blacks, s, , as well as players from all Six Nations on ns teams.
They’re displayed in nine ni ine glass cabinets at his home in n Bridgend.
“Obviously I’m a big rugby fan and a lot of peoeo ople who come to the he e house are also big rugby by y fans,” he said.
“It’s not like I go around un nd talking about it but a lo lot ot of people who see the display sp play are like ‘wow’.
“It’s the sort of thing ng g that the longer you look at it the he e better it gets.
“The detail on some of f the thet Groggs is just amazing.”
He added: “They moment in history.”
Russell said his wife e had asked him to start selling some me e of the collection but he can’t bring g himself to part with any of his beloved ov ved figures.
“She just shakes her r head,” he said.
“The thing is, I don’t t smoke. I’m not down the pub b every night, I don’t gamble, so o this is my hobby.” capture capturec a mL