When I joined Bedford RUFC, now called the Bedford Blues, in 1973 Clive Hooker was first choice second row with Bob Wilkinson. He used to drive from 15 miles south of Oxford to Bedford two or three times a week whilst I was driving a similar distance from Ipswich.
I left Bedford in 1978 for Bath as I had moved jobs and our friendship suffered.
Over the years we have met at dinners and anniversaries but we have never sat down and had a goodly yarn.
On Thursday, we had a very long, quite liquid lunch, at The Orange in Pimlico and more than chewed the fat!