Caldy – That Friday Feeling 16th May ’25

The win on the road against Nottingham last Friday night showed the Ravers at their best, but to back it up this week at Paton Field is a tall order. The league leaders Ealing are coming to the Wirral. Ealing possess a Premiership level squad liberally sprinkled with former international players and packed full of pace. The London side will relish Paton Field’s lightning-fast surface, and it is certain they will not be taking Caldy lightly.

With 3 games left in this Championship season and sitting in 11^th place Caldy are just 3 points shy of last season’s league points total as a positive Head Coach Matt Cairns acknowledged. “We have been within one score on 5 or 6 occasions this season and with a better rub of the green we could have already surpassed last year’s points total. Developing the depth within our squad has been a significant focus this year and we have made good progress in that regard. However, we know any match against Ealing is a particularly tough challenge and even more so in what are essentially summer conditions. The squad are very much up for it, and it should be a great rugby occasion for the Wirral public to enjoy.”

There are some encouraging statistics that demonstrate Cairns’ view of progress. His view is reinforced by the comparison with Ampthill who sit in eighth place with 8 wins against Caldy’s 4. However, the Mob’s points difference is only 13 points better than the Ravers’. Small margins make a big difference !

Eleven players in tomorrow’s match day squad have progressed through Caldy’s 2^nd xv into this 1^st xv Championship match day squad. Admittedly Tom Sanders and Callum Ridgway’s step up from the 2^nd xv was eons ago but the other 9 players stepped up in recent seasons. It is an impressive conveyor belt !

The Caldy squad has been freshened up from last week with hooker Jack Ellam, prop Matt Rabbette and play maker Charlie Attis promoted into the 23 and youngster Ollie Davies making his debut in the starting line up.

Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for tomorrow’s Championship fixture at Paton Field against Ealing Trailfinders which kicks off at 3.00 pm.

1. M Weatherby
2. M Gallagher
3. N Rushton (c)
4. F Stevenson
5. T Sanders
6. J Gilmore
7. T Woodman
8. C Ridgway
9. D Hanson
10.  O Davies
11.  W Robinson
12.  C Wilkinson
13.  J Mitchell
14.  N Royle
15.  C Hyde
16.  J Ellam
17.  R Higginson
18. M Rabbette
19.  S Olyott
20.  T Parry
21. O Wynn
22. C Attis
23. M Barlow

The gates will be open at midday tomorrow and you can buy your tickets for the big game here : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

Thank you to Mark Heatherington for coordinating our Girls rugby players / parents to help with car parking and running the raffle. Everyone is welcome so please get yourself down to Paton Field to support community rugby at it’s best !

Caldy clubhouse Bars and outside bars will all be open from 12.30 tomorrow

Caldy catering ‘Hatch’ Pickled Walnut, Dough Bros, Burrito Shack and Ginger Cat coffee will all be open from 2.00pm tomorrow

plus live music “Carlos Grassot” in the marquee from 5pm – 6.45pm

Congratulations on reaching milestones tomorrow to both Nick Royle & Matt Gallagher 

Flying winger Nick Royle makes his 250th appearance for Caldy tomorrow
Images – Rugby Club Magazine & Kieran Free

Try scoring hooker Matt Gallagher makes his 50th appearance for Caldy tomorrow
Images – Barry Quatermass & Barry Macdonald

An important mention needs to be made of another of Caldy RFC’s senior squads, the ‘Off Pitch’ choir. Last Saturday Off Pitch competed at the Chester Music Festival and returned with silverware. With a number of former Caldy players in their ranks the return coach trip would have been a raucous affair, but for the absence of senior tenor Phil Wylie, who was laid low with a serious injury sustained in his other role as a leading member of ‘the Last of the Summer Gang’. Phil and his fine tenor voice was very much missed in the competition but his likely celebratory septuagenarian nakedness on the return coach journey probably less so.

Caldy’s Off Pitch choir return from the Chester Music Festival with silverware 
Image – John Lyon 

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Rugby coming up next weekend :
Caldy 1st xv away at Richmond Athletic Ground Saturday 24th May
The Championship
London Scottish v Caldy kick off 3.00pm

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Final round of Championship Rugby the following weekend :
Caldy 1st xv at Paton Field Saturday 31st May
The Championship
Caldy v Bedford Blues kick off 3.00pm
Tickets are available to buy via our club website : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

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