Session table with Virtual Command

I can't work out why it doesn't work, all the documentation says it should work. I can look up the value in another event in the first iRule but when I try to look it up it in the second iRule its not there, its as if the first iRule stores it in a local session table and not in the global session table. I have tried using the session command, the table command and the subtable command and increasing the timeout but still no luck. I can also put the lookup in the first iRule before I actually add the value, then run the iRule again and the value is there from the previous hit. The key I am using is client IP but I have logging on to ensure that both iRules see the traffic coming from the same IP address and therefore should both be accessing the same table. It makes no sense, I can't work out why it doesn't work.