David Arthur Cobbold better known as Tinker had suffered a variety of ailments over the last few years but went rapidly downhill last week and despite a last minute rally he left us for the rugby pitch in the after world.
He’ll insist on playing number eight and almost certainly will suffer a severe nose bleed in the first five minutes!

In the games I played with him I was convinced he used blood capsules to garner sympathy, bearing in mind this playacting pre-dated by many years the Bloodgate scandal conceived by Dean Richards!

I think it’s fair to say that dear old Tinker was the most non-pc member the club has ever had!

There are so many anecdotes revolving around personal abuse to others, predominately female.
I won’t elaborate, speak to others of that generation if you want to be enthralled (appalled) by his antics.

I do recall one Saturday evening incident involving the opposition captain when Tinker surreptitiously dropped his full set of dentures in the oppo’s pint of beer!
The recipient didn’t notice anything unusual until he went to drain his glass and stopped absolutely dead.
There was a pregnant silence from those in close proximity who braced themselves for the inevitable reaction.

What did the guy do?

He merely removed the set of disgusting teeth with some care and then dropped them on the floor and crushed them under foot.
Tinker merely shrugged - we all thought it was a classic case of the biter bit (excuse the pun).
Imbibing carried on as if nothing untoward had happened.
Respect!

Tinker did so much for the club, many members will remember him running the bar at our clubhouse in Craven Road with his own brand of flexible charging……

He also invested so much time coaching at the club particularly the younger members who absolutely loved him.

He was so well known throughout the rugby world and all will be sorry to learn of his passing.

He was so much larger than life, a character the like of which we’re unlikely to see again.

I’m sure others will also contribute their memories of a good friend and club member.

RIP old mate.

There will be a celebration of Tinkers life on December 5th at Westcombe Park from 2pm.
There is no funeral so please feel free to come along, have a drink and tell a few stories from the many memories of those that knew him.