As was suggested by the immaculate wording and speedy delivery of the 278- word statement that announced his international retirement that night, the decision was no snap reaction to his dismissal by Wasps. “In his speech,” said Rob Jones, the Wales scrum-half who was one of the guests, “he seemed adamant that he would be available for the internationals.”On Thursday morning, however, when he was telephoned by Rob Smith, his coach at Wasps, and asked to attend a meeting before training that night, he second-guessed Smith’s intentions and started preparing for them. Training finished at 9.05pm, but Andrew continued practising his kicking and 40 minutes later, with Dave Alred, his kicking coach, and Tim Stimpson, the West Hartlepool full-back, he was the last to leave the pitch.The following night, he was one of the guest speakers in a charity dinner in the Rose Room at Twickenham and gave further evidence of his desire to continue playing for England. The players started arriving at six o’clock; an hour later Jack Rowell, the England manager, had started his address and 10 minutes into it Andrew had slunk in, still in shirt sleeves and suit trousers Nothing else suggested any lack of commitment to the cause.

“I only found out after training,” said Damian Hopley, who had just become a former team-mate. “I must admit, I was very shocked.” By then, though, Andrew, who had come to Sudbury to receive his dismissal, was miles away, a Wasps and England player no more.
Two evenings earlier, Andrew had been at Marlow for the second England training session of the season. There was widespread surprise 20 minutes later, however, when Andrew announced that he was to retire from international rugby. There was little astonishment at eight o’clock on Thursday evening when Wasps announced that Andrew, who had signed a number of their players for Newcastle, was no longer available for selection. And last week, he scored so many points against his old club that they were forced into a move that precipitated the end of his career as an international player, indeed as England’s highest points- scorer of all time. Ten months later, Newcastle Gosforth have changed name and Andrew has changed sides.

After 47 seconds, he broke for the line, scored the first of three tries and set off towards a personal haul of 26 points. Newcastle Gosforth, the home side, were beaten 58-12 and Wasps were through to the fifth round of the Pilkington Cup. They are in trouble for over-charging for tickets and, more bizarrely, because their managing director, Karren Brady, is accused of making an illegal approach for Stoke’s Paul Peschisolido, who happens to be her husband. This has never happened before in 125 years of football history. Is a wife not allowed to discuss her husband’s career prospects with him without being accused of making an illegal approach? Brady can expect the heartfelt sympathy of the many husbands who have spent years making unsuccessful legal approaches to their wives..