Caldy – That Friday Feeling 3rd Oct ’25

Caldy finished the 24/25 season on 31 May with a thrilling game against Bedford Blues. Despite a brace of tries for both Connor Wilkinson and Will Robinson the Ravers were undone by a last-minute penalty for the Blues. The 24/25 season’s recurring theme of last-minute defeats was frustrating, but without relegation Caldy’s final 11^th placed finish didn’t imperil their participation in the ‘Champ’ for the 25/26 season.

Now jeopardy has returned to the 14 team Champ. After 26 rounds of games the top 6 teams will compete for the honour of challenging for the mirage that is promotion to the Prem, the bottom placed side will be automatically relegated to National 1 and the 12^th & 13^th placed sides will undertake a play-off match, with the loser going on to face an Access Final against the play-off winners of National 1.

Caldy’s Head Coach Matt Cairns is not perturbed by the return of relegation. “To be vibrant and relevant the Champ needs an outcome, it will focus and engage all the sides and particularly Caldy”, Cairns believes the Champ minnows are better prepared than they were at the start of last season with three competitive pre-season outings under their belt and a sprinkling of newcomers replacing last season’s departing players and retirees. “We know we have to start better than we did last year if we are to stay clear of the relegation zone. It took us until Christmas to pick up our first win of the season which was at home against tomorrow’s opponents London Scottish.”

It isn’t only the coaching and playing squad that have been pushed hard over the summer. Under the stern but experienced tutelage of Phil Wylie, Caldy’s indefatigable veteran volunteer force ‘The Last of the Summer Wine’ have also worked relentlessly to maintain and improve Paton Field’s infrastructure and playing surfaces. The spectators attending against London Scottish will surely notice the improvements.

London Scottish have a storied history. This famous 150-year-old club has survived relegation, administration and with 220 Scottish International players has the striking record of producing more international players than any other rugby club. The Ravers have faced the Exiles 6 times, and it has always been close. An aggregate of 131 points have been scored by each side with Scottish shading the try count by 19 tries to 18. The visitors are travelling in determined mood to break their Paton Field duck as their Head Coach, former Harlequins hooker Joe Gray, set out in his pre match notes.

“We’ve had a fantastic pre-season together with a new group working hard for each other and learning a lot about each other. We’ve never won up at Caldy, and I really want to put that right this weekend, they are a formidable side up there, so it is not going to be easy but I’m confident we’ve got the group to go and do it.”

Caldy’s pre Christmas game against London Scottish. Image – Barry MacDonald

Please come down to Paton Field tomorrow to support Caldy in the opening match of their fourth season at level 2. This season the Ravers need the backing of the Wirral public like never before.
Gates open at 12.00 noon & Match Tickets are available to buy via our club website
go to : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for tomorrow’s first 2025/26 Champ fixture at Paton Field against London Scottish. The match kicks off at 3.00 pm.

1. M Weatherby
2. M Gallagher
3. N Rushton
4. M Loboda
5. S Olyott
6. C Ridgway
7. D Owen
8. JJ Dickinson (c)
9. N Thomas
10.  K Wilkinson
11.  W Robinson
12.  M Barlow
13.  C Wilkinson
14.  R Tudor
15.  M Kilcourse

Replacements : O Hearn, J Sprotson, R McEachran,
M Gerrard, J Jones, L Barker, T Akehurst, O Roberts

Entry on gate tomorrow – Adults £20, Juniors 17s-18s £5, Children u16s free
Caldy clubhouse ‘President’s Bar’ & Marquee Bar will be open from 12.30pm
Caldy ‘The Hatch’ catering & outside Bars will be open from 2.00pm
Plus live music in the marquee from 5.00pm – 7.00pm – “Neil Jones” 

Please get yourself down to Paton Field to support the Ravers !
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Caldy 2nd xv game away at Rossendale has been cancelled but Caldy Rav3rs are in action tomorrow with an early kick off away at Chester
NOWIRUL Div 3 West – Saturday 4th October  
Chester 3 v Caldy Rav3rs – kick off 1.30pm
Caldy 3rd xv squad ;

1. Joe Reece
2. Harry Evans
3. Tomas Williams
4. Tom Molloy
5. Ewan Dale
6. Dave Edge
7. Ed Unsworth
8. Ben Wilson
9. Adam Horrocks
10. Felix Clarke
11. Leo Grist-Corf
12. Ollie Elliot
13. Sam Roberts
14. Ben Leek
15. Harri Williams
16. Matthieu Sangarre
17. James Manuel
18. Darragh Allen-Dyer

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Community Rugby – Saturday 4 October 
Caldy RugbyFest 10.00am – 12.00 noon
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 winner, Holly Aitchison will be appearing at Caldy RFC for our RugbyFest – Girls aged u6 – u18 – FREE taster session. Holly will be accompanied by Gill Burns MBE, former England Captain, & John Foster, RFU Growth Activator Women and Girls’ Rugby (North West).
Please come down and enjoy a wonderful morning alongside legends of the game.
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Community Rugby – Sunday 5th October 
This Sunday sees another local derby, this time against Birkenhead Park. The Minis are at Park, whilst the Juniors are at Caldy. u16s are off to Winnington Park. The Colts are into the fifth round of their preliminary North West leagues. Senior Colts away to Newport (Shropshire, not South Wales), kicking off at 2.00pm and the Junior Colts are home to Sandbach, kicking off at 12:30pm. 
All support very welcome !
Minis
u6s training at home
u7s, u8s, u9s, u11s away v Birkenhead Park
u10s, u12s training at home
Juniors
u13s, u14s, u15s at home v Birkenhead Park
u16s away v Winnington Park
Girls
u12s, u14s, u16s, u18s training at home 
Junior Colts
u17s home v Sandbach kick off 12.30pm  
Senior Colts
u18s away v Newport (Salop) kick off 2.00pm  
Caldy u18 Senior Colts squad ;
Forwards ; Alexander Clark, Kyle Cooper, Cameron Harper,
Louis Hayes-Green, Tom Hazelton, Theo Hendry, Will Hollis,
Luke MacDonald (c), Joe Murphy, Matthieu Sangare
Backs : Darragh Allen-Dyer, Jamie Arista, Harry Jemmett-Stone,
Frankie Johnstone, Dylan Jones, Fin McDonnell, Luka Mulhall,
Sylvain Pennington, Jack Phythian, Ruben Smith, Luis Thomason

Good luck to everyone & enjoy your rugby this weekend !
But please remember “No referees, No games” – disrespect or verbal abuse of rugby match officials is totally unacceptable & has no place in rugby.
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Rugby coming up next weekend

Saturday 11 October – Caldy Ladies Day 
Join us for a special day dedicated to raising funds and awareness for two incredible causes : Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and Breast Cancer Awareness.
Gather your friends, wear a splash of pink, and support a day full of community spirit.
Pre-match lunch with special guests :
Gloucester-Hartpury Women no.5, Beth Stafford
RFU President – Deborah Griffin
Cheshire RFU President – Dewi Morris
For more details & bookings please contact Kenzie, email : [email protected]

Sat 11 Oct Champ Rugby round 2 – Caldy v Richmond kick off 3.00pm
Match Tickets are available to buy via our club website
go to : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

Sunday 12th October :
Junior Colts
u17s away v Stockport kick off 12.30pm  
Senior Colts
u18s home v Stockport kick off 2.00pm 
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Results last weekend
2nd xv – Caldy 43 – 14 Manchester 2nd xv
Junior Colts – loss to Wirral
Senior Colts – Caldy 38 – 14 Lymm

Caldy 2nd xv in action v Manchester 2nd xv

All images thanks to Barry MacDonald