FRIDAY FEELING – 10th September 2021

It has been a while. A long while. 

On 7 March 2020 Caldy RFC beat Preston Grasshoppers to clinch the National 2 North title with 5 games still remaining in the 2019/2020 season and then the world stopped. Almost everything that was consistent, reassuring and sustaining in our lives was suspended ….indefinitely. The game of rugby may have been unimportant in the scheme of things, but the loss of our rugby community was a significant blow for many of us. 

After 18 months we have made it back and our rugby community can start to reconnect again.

For Caldy RFC’s senior side it begins this Saturday with a 350-mile round trip journey to the Forest of Dean to play an in-form Cinderford side. Due to Old Elthamians’ withdrawing from National 1 Caldy are starting the league season a week later than all other clubs. This isn’t ideal as Caldy’s Director of Rugby Gareth Davies explained.

“We will be playing catch up on the rest of the teams in the league which brings its own pressures particularly as we will be trying to re-establish ourselves in National 1. Our first-up match away at Cinderford is just about as difficult as it gets. In our last season in National 1, Cinderford turned us over home and away, and their pre-season form and their win last week away at Blackheath show just how good a side they are.”

Cinderford’s 4 match winning pre-season run included impressive home and away victories over National 1 rivals Rams RFC and a victory over National 1 Birmingham Moseley.

“After a season in National 2 and a full year away from the game we need to re-adjust to the higher intensity and pace of National 1 rugby” said Davies “we are under no illusions about the challenge that awaits us in the Forest of Dean. However, no matter how tough the challenge or the result on the day we are all so thankful that this day has finally arrived.”

Caldy will be travelling to Gloucestershire with a squad predominantly comprising the players who won the National 2 North title in 2020. The Caldy 1^st xv matchday squad for the game against Cinderford is:

1. Rushton 2. Stagg 3. Parker 4. Gerrard 5. Sanders 6. Crowe 7. Dickinson 8. Dickinson 9. Ainscough 10. Bennett 11. Royle 12. Barlow 13. Titherington 14. Jones 15. Hayes 16. Hearn 17. Clarke 18. Ridgway 19. Aigbokhae 20. Cartmill

Caldy’s 2^nd xv travel away to Lightfoot Green to play Preston Grasshopper’s 2^nd xv in the Premier Division of the Halbro North West League. The match which has a 2 pm kick-off time is the second Premier League game for Caldy after last week’s impressive 62 -21 away win against Burnage. 

Caldy’s 2^nd xv which will be trying to emulate the 2019/20 season’s perfect winning record will be travelling with the following squad:

1. Williams 2. Sanders J 3. Harman 4. Smale 5. Greenway 6. Olyott 7. Sanders 8. Jones 9. Isaacs 10. Wyman 11. Jones 12. Lewtas 13. Hinchcliffe 14. Eaves 15. White 16. Bradshaw 17. Bretherton 18. Mountney 19. Ovien