Unfortunately, not everyone who signed up for the January Lunch was able to attend, including half a dozen "no-shows", resulting in 77 paying to enjoy a fine meal. Although all the absentees were missed, none was more so than the scheduled guest speaker, Shade Munro, the Glasgow Warriors forwards coach. Trying to juggle 2 important matches, a full training session and a GROGs lunch proved too difficult and, sadly, the GROGs lunch was the loser. Still, cometh the hour, cometh the man, with GROGs Committee member, and well known rugby referee, Raymond Healy, rising to the occasion by agreeing to fill the gap at considerably short notice. With the menu of broth and haggis, neeps and tattles paying an early homage to Rabbie Burns, it was fitting that the well known Ayrshire vet and Garnock RFC member, Allan McTaggart, chaired the event, which he did with style. He opened with an explanation of the current league set-up in Scottish Rugby, managing successfully to enlighten no-one and confuse many! As a former referee and headmaster, Raymond Healy showed no nerves at addressing a sea of expectant faces. He regaled his audience with tales of his time as both player and referee, interwoven with a myriad of other stories, some, though apocryphal though well worth hearing again. He explained, to a largely unsympathetic audience, why the role of the modern day referee can be fraught with difficulties. When it came time for questions, Raymond came into his own, answering each with authority, from being proud that Scotland had pioneered the Specsavers sponsorship to disagreeing with a question about the "front row shambles" by pointing out that it was not a shambles and, in fact, makes the game of rugby football much safer now than in yesteryear. The Chairman ended with a much anticipated joke about a Glasgow prostitute and a presentation of the traditional bottle of GROGs whisky to a very much appreciated speaker.
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