That Friday Feeling – 1st March 2024

Meteorologically speaking Friday the 1st of March is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate zone. This should be welcome news for Cornish Pirates who must make the 380-mile trip to Paton Field and will hope to play in more favourable conditions than they encountered in their first ever visit to Paton Field in December 2022. On that day Caldy’s volunteer force who cleared the lines of snow to allow that game to be played were rewarded with a narrow win for the Ravers. Of course, although winter is officially over, the Wirral does have its own microclimate so come Saturday Spring may not have sprung at Paton Field.

Caldy’s Director of Rugby Gareth Davies warned that the current Cornish Pirates squad has kicked on from last season and he views them as one of the strongest squads to come to Paton Field so far. “The Pirates are a good well coached side playing some excellent and attractive rugby. In this season’s reverse fixture, they gave us a drubbing down at the Menaye. As a benchmark to show just how good they are, if they win the game in hand they have over Coventry and Doncaster they will be in 2nd place in the Championship. Our home support is hugely important to us, and it makes a massive difference to the lads. If we are to lower the Pirate’s flag on Saturday, we will need as enthusiastic and loud a support as the Wirral can muster.”

Davies expressed his disappointment that the Ravers didn’t leave the Richmond Athletic Ground with a five-point haul last Saturday and he was frustrated at the number of penalties that Caldy conceded. “Ben Jones’ brilliant touch line conversion was the last play of the game and got us the draw and 3 league points but out scoring London Scottish 5 tries to 3 should have resulted in 5 league points. Our lack of discipline and their 100% kicker cost us. We cannot afford to be as generous to the Pirates and expect to get anything out of the game.”

Caldy’s second xv have a Cotton Traders Premier League fixture at home against Sandbach with a 2 pm kick off and this week there is a bit more at stake for the 2nd xv squad than just league points. On the following week, Saturday 9th March, Caldy’s 2nd team take on Jersey RFC away at their St Peter’s ground.

Jersey RFC marched through level 7 winning every game and currently lead level 6 by 16 league points with only one loss this season. Ahead of next week’s fixture Jersey have enquired whether Caldy’s 2ndxv are still unbeaten. The Channel Island side are obviously keen to be the team that halts this record breaking 90 game winning streak. Accordingly, this Saturday, Sandbach will have every motivation to be the team that puts a spoke in the work and ends this remarkable unbeaten run.

Every player in Andrew Soutar’s squad will be pushing hard to claim a place on the plane to Jersey andwill be determined to go to the Channel Island with their unbeaten run intact. Sooty’s match day squad for the Sandbach game has been boosted by the return from injury by pacy wingers Louis Beer and Will Robinson and powerful no 8 Luke Cox.

The game against Sandbach which kicks off at 2 pm at Paton Field promises to be a compelling contest.

The 1st of March, is an important day for the Welsh. So, if you bump into honorary Welshman Barrie Pilgrim today, please say “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus.” If you don’t know Barrie, he will be easy to recognise because he will surely have a giant leek, or daffodil pinned to his blazer.

Head Coach Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for Saturday’s 1st XV Championship fixture against Cornish Pirates at Paton Field. This 1st xv Championship match kicks off at 3.pm.

1.  A. Aigbokhae
2. M Gallagher
3. N. Rushton
4. C Atkinson
5. T Sanders
6. S. Dickinson
7. C Ridgway
8. JJ Dickinson
9. J Murray
10. R. Hayes
11. B. Jones
12. C Wilkinson
13. M. Cartmill
14. N. Royle
15. M. Kilcourse
16. N. Langdon
17. R. Higginson
18. J. Sproston
19. S. Olyott
20. C. Pilgrim
21. M Barlow
22. M. Gerrard
23. L. Barker

Community Rugby
Sunday 3 March  – Minis & Juniors home &/or away v Wirral
– Girls training
– u17 Junior Colts training
– u18 Senior Colts home v Sandbach
Cheshire Cup Semi Final kicks off 2.00pm

We need all your support this weekend on “JJs Bank”

Good luck to everyone & enjoy your rugby weekend !