Caldy – That Friday Feeling 20th September ’24

It has been a long time in coming but tomorrow is Caldy’s first Championship game of the season. To go with the excitement there is the caveat that the first game is away at Bedford ! Caldy has never won at the Blues’ Goldington Road ground and Head Coach Matt Cairns recognizes the size of the task facing the Ravers.

“Bedford are one of the top sides in the Championship and they play a very vibrant attacking style of rugby. With the backing of their 3,500+ supporters and on a fast early season surface they are a particularly formidable challenge. They are coming off the back of a very strong pre-season including two close games against Premiership opposition in Saracens and Northampton. This is surely our toughest opening day fixture ……..ever ! ”

Caldy’s Director of Rugby Gareth Davies echoed Cairns’ sentiments but also set out how difficult Caldy’s selection process had been for this opening clash.

“There were thirty or so players in the selection mix for the opening fixture and as a management group we had an awful lot of discussion about the make-up of the travelling squad for this first Championship match. In a few cases the calls were very close indeed, especially in the extremely competitive squad positions of scrum half and back row where players like Joe Murray and Jordan Jones were particularly unlucky to miss out. Strength in depth is fundamental in being able to compete at this level. Last season we used forty-seven players in our Championship fixtures, and I do not envisage it being much different this season.”

Bedford are expected to feature former Caldy player Lucas Titherington who in the close season transferred from Coventry to Bedford.

Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for tomorrow’s Championship fixture against Bedford Blues at Goldington Road with a 3 pm kick off.

1. N. Rushton
2. M. Gallagher
3. J. Sproston
4. M. Gerrard
5. C. Atkinson
6. S. Olyott
7. T. Woodman
8. JJ. Dickinson
9. O. Wynn
10. L. Barker
11. W. Robinson
12. M. Barlow
13. C. Wilkinson
14. N. Royle
15. M. Kilcourse
16. O. Hearn
17. M. Weatherby
18. R. Higginson
19. F. Stevenson
20. C. Ridgway
21. J. Tansey
22. T. Curtis
23. M. Cartmill

The 2^nd xv and the 3^rd xv follow on from last week’s successes with a home game at Paton Field against Manchester for the 2^nd xv and a tough fixture away against Birchfield for the 3^rd xv.

Senior Rugby this Saturday 21st September
The Championship        Bedford Blues v Caldy        ko 3pm   
NOWIRUL Premier        Caldy 2 v Manchester 2     ko 3pm
NOWIRUL Div 3 West   Birchfield v Caldy 3             ko 3pm 

For those who can’t make the trip to Goldington Road The Championship fixture will be live streamed in the clubhouse.
Clubhouse Bar and Kitchen will be open this Saturday from 2.00 pm 

Everyone is welcome so please get yourself down to Paton Field on Saturday afternoon to enjoy community rugby at it’s best !

Community Rugby this Sunday 22nd September

Minis
u6s training
u7s – u12s are either home or away v Wrexham & Anselmians

Juniors
u13s – u16s are either home or away v Anselmains / Hoylake / Sale

Girls
u14s – u18s will all be training at home

Junior Colts
Caldy u17s top the Halbro NW Junior Colts “A” League with maximum points from two away games
This Sunday is their first home game of the League campaign 
Caldy u17 v Firwood Waterloo u17 kick off 12:30pm

Senior Colts
u18s no game

Good luck to everyone & enjoy your rugby weekend !

Membership, Season Tickets & Match Tickets
All digital memberships, season tickets & match tickets are available to buy via our club website –
please go to https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

Premiership Cup round 1 – Caldy supporters coaches to AJ Bell
On Friday 8th November the 1st XV will take on Sale Sharks in the Prem Cup at the AJ Bell Stadium.
We are organising supporters coaches that will depart the club at approximately 5:45pm, returning to Caldy after the match. We have 50 seater coaches available @ £10 per head.
Please contact Lynn Ridgway – [email protected] ASAP if you wish to buy a seat on the coach.

Autumn International tickets available 
We have 2 tickets @ £169 each available for England v New Zealand 
Saturday 2nd November at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham kick off 3.10 pm  

We also have 4 tickets @ £121 each available for England v Australia  
Saturday 9th November at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham kick off 3.10 pm

For tickets please contact Graeme Birch by email – [email protected]

RFU Regulation 19 – Discipline – Misconduct 5.12 notice of change of regulation
All members & spectators attending rugby matches should be aware of the following change of regulation for Misconduct this season.
” 19.4.9 A club shall be responsible for ensuring that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that its players, coaches, members and spectators conduct themselves appropriately and do not behave in a way that is improper, offensive, abusive, threatening, indecent or insulting or enter the pitch without the authority of the referee.”