The Grogg Blog: Exclusive Interview - Alix Popham - Me and My Grogg

Alix Jon Popham was born in Newport, Wales in 1979. His professional career spanned well over a decade in the top flight leagues of Wales, England and France where he quickly forged a reputation for hard hitting tackles.

Alix took his first steps into top level Rugby by turning out for his hometown team Newport RFC. Making his debut in 1998, Alix spent 4 years at the club racking up 89 appearances and scoring 40 points in the process. At the age of 22 Alix won the Principality Cup with Newport, something which has always held a proud place in his heart.

A move across the border then took place, when Alix joined Leeds Tykes in 2002 to compete in the English RFU Championship. 51 appearances followed and Alix signed off in style helping the Tykes to the Powergen Cup final win during his final season with the English club.

In 2005 Alix returned home to “God’s Country” this time with the Llanelli Scarlets. 62 appearances followed complimented by 30 points on the score cards. After 3 years with the Scarlets Alix made what was to be his final move as a professional player, this time moving to French Club Brive in the Top 14 League in which he had the honour of captaining the club for the 2009 season.

Alix didn’t just excel in the domestic game but also on the international level too. As a former captain of the Welsh under 21 team Alix was given his big break for the full Wales side in 2003 when he made his debut for his country of birth. Alix went on to achieve a total of 33 Caps for the Welsh., including appearances in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups and several Six Nations appearances including an impressive win over England in 2008, the first win away against the English in over 20 years, and the catalyst for the Grand Slam.

In 2011, at the age of 31, Alix was forced to retire from the game following reconstructive surgery on his shoulder. Alix has no doubt left his mark on the game and a few players after some tough tackling and rock solid presence on the pitch (Johnny O’Connor and Joe Maddock will certainly agree). But of course it’s not only on the field that Alix is remembered but he will always be immortalised in clay as a Grogg.

It was in 2007 that Alix was created in his first 9” Grogg form... the Grogg journey had begun. We were lucky enough to talk to Alix recently and he very kindly answered a few questions for us about his Groggs. Hope you enjoy the piece!

1. Prior to being Grogged were you aware of the Groggshop and what they did?

Yes, I was aware of what the Groggshop did, particularly growing up in Wales, in fact I had been collecting Groggs since around about the age of 4 or 5 So for me to be Grogged it was seen as a massive achievement.

2. The Groggshop has achieved a worldwide following & huge fan base of collectors, what would you say your earliest memory of the shop was?

My earliest memory would have been me going to the shop to collect my first ever Grogg, as I say it would have been around the age of 4 or 5 . It was amazing looking around the shop at all of the photos and memorabilia and getting to pick my first Grogg which was Robert Norster. The shop has changed loads since, there wasn’t a museum or anything then.

3. For many people being Grogged is the sign that you have “made it” and is a great honour. So how did you find out that you were being Grogged and how did you personally feel about it?

It was an absolutely great feeling finding out I was being Grogged, I was chuffed to bits. It was my wife Jo who told me, I seem to remember her putting it in a card for me.

4. Did you go and brag to your teammates as soon as you found out?

No I didn’t brag when I found out about being Grogged. It wasn’t until my Grogg was actually finished and people came around to my house or visited the shop that I showed them. I’m not one for bragging.

5. Is there ever Grogg envy between club and country teammates? By those not Grogged or about the way the Groggs look?

No there wasn’t any envy that I sensed from my teammates, likewise before I was Grogged. Of course I wanted to be Grogged but I just had to wait to be asked, it’s out of your hands

6. You were Grogged in Welsh Colours and your Scarletts kit for general sale and also a number of others of you in your old club colours were presented to you, which would you say is your favourite and why?

I was Grogged in Newport, Leeds, Scarletts, Brive, Welsh and my old high school club colours. They all mean a great deal to me but would probably say may favourite is my Welsh one due to the fact it has my Cap number on it, so it’s special.

7. Aside from the Groggs presented to you by the shop do you own any others?

Yes, along with my own Groggs I have a cabinet full of the Groggs I collected when I was younger.

8. You played in France with Brive, Only a few French people have been Grogged those being Thomas Casteneigde, Phillipe Sella, Emile Ntamack, Eric Cantona and most resently Sebastien Chabal, what would you say the French knowledge on Groggs like?

The French guys are definitely aware of Groggs, I know some of them have seen photos or been shown them by the players who have been Grogged and they find it a great honour when they have been Grogged themselves and love it.

9. We all have our heroes, whether that be in Rugby or any other area. Which one of your heroes would you like to see as a Grogg and why?

I’d love to see a Bob Marley Grogg, I think it would be spot on. I really like the Grogg of Muhammed Ali and think a Bob Marley one would look great. Can’t think of any others I would like off the top of my head.

10. Apart from being Grogged, what was the proudest moment of your career?

Probably receiving my first Cap for Wales against Australia in 2003, as 3 years prior to that I was on the bench and not getting on the field, I started to feel that it might never happen.

11. Finally, If you could be Grogged again would you want anything done differently?

I’d give myself an eight pack instead of a six pack!!

The Grogg Blog would like to say a massive thank you to Alix for participating in this article, you are an absolute gentleman. For now we will all enjoy the memories you have left behind and of course enjoy the Grogg tribute Richard Hughes has created.