Free cigars

Today’s news is yet another adjournment for the club’s winding up hearing. Have you known anything like it? I’m sure if my business owed the taxman a tenner I’d be harangued for it forthwith. Anyway, onto other more lighthearted matters.

I mentioned at the beer festival on Saturday something that had been bugging me for the week. I was certain that before a test match in the early 2000s at Huddersfield, there were promo reps outside the ground handing out free sample packs of cigars. Comps like this weren’t common, but I also recall receiving a free Kelloggs Squares bar before a different match – Kelloggs were certainly in and around rugby league as sponsors at the time.

But cigars?! This was a few years before the smoking ban, but it still felt a bit weird at the time. Nevertheless, and never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I partook. I just can’t narrow it down enough to be confident. Was the brand something like Sorbonne or Sobranne? I can’t remember now. I think the packet was navy blue with red writing.

Great Britain played Australia twice and New Zealand once in test series during the early 2000s; my hunch is the New Zealand match, but again, now I’m not sure. I can’t find any connection online. Have I made it up? I don’t think so…

If you can shed any light, please do let me know so I can put it to bed.