The Pistol Shrimps

CALIGO EST DESCENDENS IN SQUILIS VENIRE

THE MIST IS DESCENDING THE SHRIMPS ARE COMING

The Pistol Shrimps are a social rugby 7s team set up in my last year at Aberystwyth University. I’d spent the majority of my weekends in local pubs or the Student Union watching the Premiership, so when one of my housemates suggested we set up a team for the 2012 Aberystwyth 7s I jumped at the chance. Unfortunately a combination of injury early in the year and dissertation pressures forced my housemate to drop out, but we still managed to get a team together from friends of various rugby ability and experience.

pshrimp — The team crest, created by Sam Vernon

With many of us originals being in our final year of uni, one of the remaining members took over the team for the next year, which a number of us returned for. Over the years we have established a core team who attend whenever possible, with friends filling out the remaining positions and competed in 8 consecutive Aber 7s (from 2012-2019). With COVID causing the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 tournaments, the Shrimps returned for (potentially) one last ride in 2022.

20180506_230240 — Scholars have been frequent sponsors of the Pistol Shrimps and in 2018 made their support a bit more obvious at the bar

The shield on the crest was designed to show the story of the team’s early months, with the rugby ball showing the reason we all came together, and the alcohol showing what helped us grow together. As we were both students and rugby lads, it’s unsurprising that our plans of ‘a quiet drink’ never really stayed as such beyond the second pint.

467165_10151628786605960_1498145957_o — With the original social sec and club captain from 2014 onwards – the Stemocracy

Since the famous Movember social where the team name was officially chosen (hence the moustache on the crest), the stories of the team’s evening antics are probably better remembered than much of our rugby, and have ranged from being chased through town by a drunk Irishman to fishing a teammate out of a bin, via Kangaroo Court headed by the Right Honourable Judge Bumder.

Year 3 at uni was a trying time for me personally, but the Pistol Shrimps gave me a reason to keep going and not leave Aberystwyth early. In fact I only just got my dissertation completed in time as I was so engrossed in organising training and matches for the team. I think it’s fair to say that my time with the Shrimps helped me remember just how much I had enjoyed rugby when younger and helped take my love of the sport to a complete new level – so guys, this whole site is your fault!

The original Pistol Shrimps – 2012