Accies College Cup (Race 1) - Harvard Win As We Catch Up With Chris Pim
All players have done well in a competitive first race in the Accies College Cup with Harvard Crimson taking the points. The next race will be a 279km trip to Kinsale but we couldn’t leave Dublin without catching up with one of our old friends Chris Pim, who was kind enough to share some of his memories.
Memories... there's the first challenge!! I’m struggling to remember last week never mind 1984!! OK, here goes... In 1984 I made my debut for Old Wesley’s senior team, Senior being the operative word. I was 18 and there was one other lad in his early twenties but I’m pretty sure the rest of the team were all married so I really felt like the child that I was.
My debut was a 9-0 thriller against Bohemians RFC from Limerick, and a few weeks later, the next thing I knew we were playing a Scottish team called Edinburgh Accies. It meant nothing to me except that I was due to travel to Edinburgh Uni to study Agriculture the following September so I was aware that this might be a possible audition of sorts!!
No idea how I played, no idea what the score was and no idea whether we won or lost, but I do remember meeting Charlie Jackson after the game and he seemed very enthusiastic to get me over and sold me on the merits of playing for Accies as opposed to playing for Edinburgh University. As it turned out, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I had three amazing years down at Raeburn Place and I played against Scottish back row legends pretty much every Saturday, from JJ to the Calder brothers to the Paxtons, Ian and Eric, and many more besides. I was like a child in a sweet shop!! I could literally do what I wanted because if I needed any minding I had two Richardson brothers Charlie and Jeremy to look after me!!
I now have three boys, all playing the game. Sam is just back from two years in Hong Kong where he played every Saturday with none other than Jamie Lauder, son of the legendary Ken Lauder who was regular on the bar in Raeburn Place whatever about on the pitch! Sam is now back in Dublin and has joined Old Wesley but obviously has played very little rugby this year. My other two boys, Reuben and Noah, are in Trinity College now, Fourth year and First year respectively so the Accies links are strong!!
Please god they will get back on the pitch soon and continue to make memories that we all made from this great game.
PS Very sorry to read about Pete Ireland and Tommy McClung. Two truly great guys who were incredibly kind to me while I was finding my way at the club.
Yours
In sport
Chris Pim
NOTE: This article was originally posted our old website on 19th February 2021, but was migrated to this website as part of go-live in May 2021.