Al Kellock, guest speaker at the first Lunch of 2023, was no stranger to GROGS as he had first spoken to us 8 years previously. 115 members were eager to see if ahe had changed during the intervening years. Certainly there was a certain hair loss but he had gained in poise and confidence. Previously he had spoken as a player, a former internationalist and a highly successful captain of Glasgow Warriors whereas now he appeared as Managing Director of the Warriors, having retired from playing one month after he had last addressed GROGS. Speaking as a top club official suited him and he spoke with an authority reflecting his overall experience. What had not changed was his clear love of the game and his enthusiasm for Club rugby. Telling the story of his rugby journey from first playing at Allan Glen’s school up to the peak of his career whilst captaining Scotland, Al held his audience’s attention by peppering his story with fun anecdotes about some of his playing colleagues along the road. Tommy Hayes might not appreciate the world knowing about his efforts in making sure the Hughenden pitch was declared frost bound so that he and Gordon Simpson could have a long lie one Saturday morning after a heavy night! Although he saw much of the world in his international career, he didn’t travel too far in his club rugby, travelling from Allan Glen’s to Edinburgh Rugby before returning to Glasgow to play for, and then captain, Glasgow Warriors. His career at Warriors was “a phenomenal time” in his life and he relished being made captain. He confessed he wasn’t the best player in a Warriors shirt but he strived to be one of the hardest working. This paid off as he was team captain during the most successful period of the Warriors’ history. However, all good things have to come to an end, even for Al Kellock, and he finally hung up his boots but not before playing for, and captaining, the Barbarians against Australia in November 2014, “the single best experience of rugby in his whole life”. The Chairman wished Al the same success in his administrative career as he had enjoyed in his playing career and presented him with a bottle of the unique GROGS whisky to set him on his way.