Last Friday The Crown pub in Twickenham played host to six of OHAFC's Easter tourists of 1964 and 1965 and provided them with a level of hospitality afforded not even to Australia's World Cup rugby squad, such is the profile of this highly valued group of pioneers.

50+ years on, the six tourists may be shorter in wind but their memories are long and largely intact. They could all remember the 12-strong squad's 4-car "wagon train" to Etretat, France in 1964 to play in the town's annual tournament but their selective memories could not recall that the OHAFC had ended up with the wooden spoon.

The Club's first seven overseas Easter Tours between 1964 and 1971 were organised by Alex de Grunwald and were well supported as a result of former OHAFC President David Buik's persuasive marketing techniques. On the second visit to Etretat in 1965, OHAFC again competed in a local 'tournoi', earning £3 10s 0d (£3.50p) in gate receipts.

Pictured above (left to right) are Alex de Grunwald, Spud Brodie, Charles Jamieson, Fred Woolley, Roddy Hill and Peter Beckwith.

The good news is that all of the above are available to tour at Easter 2016.