There was a general feeling of satisfaction among the GROGs at the final Lunch of the 2025/26 season and consensus that an excellent year had ended on a high. The guest speaker, Rory Lawson, more than made up for his previous enforced withdrawal with his entertaining and informative contribution to a very pleasant occasion. The former Scotland fly half and captain promised to talk a little about his grandfather, the late Bill McLaren, his own playing career and his post playing career but first he congratulated the audience for having no mobile phones on display. He probably thought that this was down to good manners rather than lack of expertise! Apart from the times he had watched his father, Alan, play Rory described how he fell in love with rugby at the age of 6 or 7 playing at the Stirling County club. Honourable like his father and grandfather he acknowledged that the best player in that team was a girl named Lesley Paterson, a future world champion triathlete, Bafta winner and Oscar nominee. He enjoyed his sporting time at Dollar Academy and Edinburgh University where he graduated before starting his professional rugby career. Rory’s ‘Papa’, Bill McLaren, was an undoubted influence on him and, with a number of stories, we were treated to a marvellous insight to the workings and personality of the rugby legend from someone who knew! All doors in rugby were open to Bill and, in return, he always had a box of Hawick Balls sweets handy to offer to all and sundry. Rory described the proud moment of his breakthrough in international rugby against stiff competition from established players like Mike Blair and Chris Cussiter. The step-up to international rugby was a wake up call to him, playing against the cream of the world’s best players, but he loved it. Unfortunately his career was cut short with a wrist injury. He regretted his retirement decision and felt that if it happened now improved medical treatments might have helped him to remain in the sport. Rory’s talk was full of interesting thoughts and nostalgic moments which his audience delighted in sharing. He finished with a story of using a jar of Hawick Balls as a metaphor in his team talk as captain before the victory against the Springboks at Murrayfield. A fond memory for all. Rory ended with a nice tribute to GROGS before fielding a number of incisive questions with skill and honesty. He more than earned the bottle of Special GROGS Whisky he was presented with by Chairman Neil Watson.
