Caldy – That Friday Feeling 28th Nov ’25

All matches against Chinnor are tough ! Caldy and Chinnor share a similar DNA. Both clubs have risen through the Regional and National leagues, they have some of the largest mini and junior set ups in English rugby and both clubs are situated in villages that few outside the local areas have ever heard of.

According to AI sources Chinnor, which is situated in South Oxfordshire some 10 miles from Henley upon Thames, is 120 million years old ! This may account for the experienced squad and coaching staff which has seen them settle so quickly into Champ rugby after their promotion from National 1 at the end of the 2023/24 season. Chinnor, who presently sit 8th in the Champ table, must love coming to Paton Field because it is a ground where they have never lost.  After again losing out at home to the ‘Villagers’ in a late September pre-season friendly the 6th placed Ravers need to break their duck tomorrow in another crucial league fixture.

The Ravers will be again led by captain JJ Dickinson who will be playing his 350th 1st xv match for the club he has represented for more than 20 years through the junior sections up through the senior teams eventually becoming 1st xv captain.

In September 2021 Caldy were languishing at the foot of the National 1 table having lost their opening two fixtures against Cinderford and Birmingham Moseley. The 24-0 hammering at Paton Field by Moseley in front of 300 or so past Caldy captains and players together with a big crowd of Ravers’ supporters was painfully humbling. Maybe it was the sting of this particular failure that prompted captain JJ Dickinson to make an outrageous post-match prediction to Caldy’s Director of Rugby Gareth Davies. “We will win National 1 this season and if we do I want the Caldy Bank to be called JJ’s Bank”

JJ took the team on an amazing run of performances culminating in that awesome winning battle against Sale FC which clinched the Ravers’ promotion to the Champ at Paton Field in front of 3,500 ecstatic Ravers’ supporters ( probably swelling to 35,000 fans in JJ’s humorous retelling on the Caldy players’ coach ).

What a prediction, what a journey, what a captain !

JJ’s Bank makes all the difference !
Image thanks to Barry Quatermass

One of the only other blemishes in that epic National 1 campaign were dropped points at Paton Field in a draw against Chinnor RFC. Time to put that right.

JJ Dickinson in line out action against Chinnor
Image thanks to Barry Quatermass

Match Tickets for tomorrow’s Champ Rugby game at Paton Field are available to buy here : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

Gates will be open from 11.00am
The Ravers’ average home attendance this season has been 1,800+
Captain JJ needs all your support to overcome a formidable Chinnor side for the first time at Paton Field.

Image by Lewis Barker

Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for tomorrow’s Champ fixture at Paton Field against Chinnor.
The match kicks off at 2.00pm
1.   Monty Weatherby
2.   Ollie Hearn
3.   Nathan Rushton
4.   Martin Gerrard
5.   Patrick Hogg ( Caldy debut )
6.   Callum Ridgway
7.   Dan Owen
8.   JJ Dickinson (c) ( 350th Caldy appearance ) 
9.   Ollie Wynn
10. Kieran Wilkinson
11. Obi Ene
12. Michael Barlow
13. Connor Wilkinson
14. Rhys Tudor
15. Matt Kilcourse

Replacements 
Matt Gallagher, Joe Sproston, Ralph McEachran, Sam Olyott
Reuben Logan, Tom Akehurst, Lewis Barker, Will Robertson

–

Caldy Rav3rs also at home tomorrow against Birchfield who currently sit fourth in the league.
NOWIRUL Div 3 West – Saturday 29th November 
Caldy 3rd xv v Birchfield kick off 2.15pm at Paton Field 

Player / manager, Tomas Shanahan, confirmed Caldy Rav3rs squad for tomorrow’s game : 
1. Harry Evans
2. Matty Mountney (c)
3. Mathieu Sangare
4. Elliott Cotton
5. Ben Wilson
6. Tom Marray
7. Ed Unsworth
8. Dave Edge
9. Adam Horrocks
10. Fin McGrath
11. Rhys Hughes
12. Luke Denn
13. James Manuel
14. Leo Grist-Corf
15. Joe Smith
16. Jack Wilson
17. Harri Williams
18. Gabe Mault

Everyone welcome, please come along to Paton Field tomorrow & support the Rav3rs !

Entry on gate tomorrow – Adults £20, Juniors 17s-18s £5, Children u16s free
Gates open at 11.00 am & Match Tickets are available to buy via our club website
go to : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/

Caldy Clubhouse Bar, ‘President’s Bar’ & Marquee inside bars all open from 11.00am
Trailer Bar, Poretti Stand & Scoreboard outside bars all open from 1.00pm
Dough Bros, Ginger Cat Coffee, Burrito Shack, Smokehouse Supplies outside catering all open from 1.00pm

Let’s pack JJ’s bank & the Ravers party stand and make it one to remember.
We need every voice, every cheer, every bit of Raver spirit behind the lads.
Let’s hear that Paton Field ROAR !

Plus after the game live music in the marquee from 4.00pm – 6.00pm – “Connor Farrell”

Image by Lewis Barker

Thanks also to our u14s players, parents & coaches for organising the raffle tomorrow, plus volunteering to help with car parking. Please buy your raffle tickets from u14s on the day to win fabulous prizes ! 

–

Community Rugby – Sunday 30th November 
This Sunday for the Minis, it is time to return to competitive action with a block booking home and away v Whitchurch. For the Juniors, odds are home v Whitchurch and the evens are away. u13s have their first Cheshire Cup cluster fixture, away at Hoylake – very good luck to them !
The Colts are both away this Sunday, with Juniors having a local derby vs Wirral kicking off at 12.30pm, and the Seniors also making the journey to Whitchurch with a 2.00pm kick off.
Minis
u6s training at home
u7s, u9s, u11s at home v Whitchurch
u8s, u10s, u12s away v Whitchurch
u10s also at home v Ellesmere Port  
Juniors
u13s Cheshire Cup cluster away at Hoylake
u14s, u16s away v Whitchurch 
u15s at home v Whitchurch
Girls  
u12s, u14s, u16s, u18s training at home 
Junior Colts
Halbro NW Junior Colts Conference League A
u17s away v Wirral kick off 12.30pm 
at The Memorial Ground, Thornton Common Road, Clatterbridge CH63 4JU
Senior Colts
Halbro NW Senior Colts Conference League A
u18s away v Whitchurch kick off 2.00pm at Edgeley Park, Whitchurch SY13 1EU
Squad ;
Forwards: Alexander Clark, Kyle Cooper, Louis Hayes-Green, Tom Hazleton, Theo Hendry
Will Hollis, Luke MacDonald (c), Joe Murphy, Mathieu Sangare, Oscar Song, Oliver Wilson
Backs: Jamie Arista, Frankie Johnstone, Dylan Jones, Jamie Lewis, Luka Mulhall
Sylvain Pennington, Jack Phythian, Ruben Smith, Rob Waring, Drew Woodward

–

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.

–

Rugby coming up

Saturday 6th December – Champ Rugby
Ealing Trailfinders v Caldy kick off 3.00pm at Vallis Way, London W13 0DD

Saturday 6th December – NOWIRUL Premier League
Caldy 2nd xv v Chester 2nd xv kick off 2.00pm at Paton Field

Saturday 6th December – NOWIRUL Div 3 West
Sefton 2nd xv v Caldy 3rd xv kick off 2.00pm at Thornhead Lane, West Derby L12 9EY

–