Old Haberdashers RFC

Bio - Ben "The Beast" Crompton's nickname has followed him since school and to meet this docile gentleman you would see nothing of the animal in him. His anger is only ever manifested when he doesn't think a pre-game warm-up is going well or when people refuse to play touch. The Beast loves his touch. Always desperate to play he often receives gentle pats on the head from more established members of the squad who, whilst acknowledging the enthusiasm of a young child, are keenly aware of his yawning deficit of talent.

Position - Beast's usual response to this is "I can play anywhere in the scrum, I can lift, jump and throw-in in the lineout, I just love Rugby". His simple and ineloquent sentences adequately explain his mediocrity at all positions. You would be hard pressed to find a slower player in Magenta and Blue but his silky hands, versatility and occasional big tackle make him, much like an Elephant Seal, devastating in the wet, floundering on hard ground. He was often deployed in the back row in 2008/9 after being ousted from his favoured prop position by the desperately talented Sanderson Brothers. His employment at openside on occasion was describe by critics as insanity and his ability to "tread water" whilst running reminded people less of Jesus and more of William "the Fridge" Perry.

AKA - "Beast" and "Grumpy"

Long and Rambling Bio

Beast was born in the Seventies and raised by Wolves in the Siberian Wilderness (his table manners and love of meat still reflect these early influences). He spent his early childhood in Portugal before meeting his two great loves, Rugby and Francis Booth at Magdalen College School in Oxford. The biggest and most lugubrious child in the class the bumbling Beast was soon born. Early promises of size and speed had faded by fifteen and all that was left to him were shattered dreams and the hopes of what might have been. He attended Cambridge University but was too old to meet Messers Jared and Bobby and then headed to Argentina to further explore early interests in wine, steak and girls. He played Rugby of course. Part of the all conquering 2004/5 Nottingham Law School XV, after a brief stop off in Colombia to sample the local "culture" he ensconced himself with the Fox in London. A year of ill-advised flirtation with London Scottish later and he joined the might of Old Habs never looking back.

The Beast enjoys - crowbars, podium dancing, steak (over 400gs), tinned fruit, being angry, sand castles and touching.

His favourite song is Irreplacable by Beyonce and his favourite gym exercise are Skull Crushers.