Light winds, sunny intervals with no chance of rain is the perfect weather forecast for…

A View from JJ’s Bank
1st xv result – Caldy 26 – 10 London Scottish |
![]() Champ Rugby – Round 1 Saturday 4th October 2025 Caldy …………. 26 pts Tries: Gallagher 29, 51, Hearn 63, Gerrard 77 Conversions: K Wilkinson 30, 52, 64 London Scottish…. 10 pts Tries: Gribbon 4 Conversion: Honey 5 Penalty: Honey 20 London Scottish had never previously won at Paton Field and last season it had taken the Ravers until Christmas to record a victory. With the jeopardy returning to the Champ through relegation both sides needed to get off to a good start. Storm Amy had significantly upset the visitors’ travel from the capital, leading to a delayed kick off. Despite the disruption they made a fast and positive start at Paton Field. Within 4 minutes they opened the scoring. Matthew Gribbon finished a straightforward passage of wide play to round his opposite number and score near the posts. Fraser Honey landed the conversion. With the benefit of the gale London Scottish continued to dominate territory and possession to extend their lead with a Honey penalty, but errors were proving costly. A lack of composure and some excellent Caldy defence, particularly by the Ravers’ back row trio of Callum Ridgway, Dan Owen and JJ Dickinson, stopped the visitors’ momentum and slowly the Ravers gained control. Just before the half hour Scottish conceded their 9th penalty. The ensuing line out just outside their 22 was advanced by the Ravers’ trademark driving maul, all the way to the try line. Hooker Matt Gallagher was credited with the score which was augmented by a touchline conversion from Kieran Wilkinson. The London Scottish three-point half time lead was never going to be enough to secure the win playing into a 50-mph gale and so it proved. Exhibiting good game management, the Ravers played to the conditions and to their strengths to score three more tries without reply, in exactly the same fashion as their first score. Gallagher was credited with the second try. When Caldy’s playmaker Kieran Wilkinson launched a 50/22 kick to provide replacement hooker Ollie Hearn with the platform for the third home try, the gap was too great for the visitors to close. Replacement second row Martin Gerrard scored Caldy’s bonus point try in the final minutes to send the visitors back to London with nothing to show for their difficult day out on the Wirral coast. Caldy’s head coach Matt Cairns recognised that the conditions were difficult” the weather had a big impact on the game, but the crucial difference was our composure when we got into Scottish’s 22. It was a good squad performance all round. Our forwards put in a huge defensive shift against the conditions in the first half to limit Scottish’s lead and their discipline and control got us the bonus point win in the second 40. I am delighted to open the season with a home win” Although Storm Amy had done its best to limit the crowd to cheer on Caldy’s opening day bonus point victory, the tempest didn’t faze a contingent of effervescent students from University of Liverpool & Liverpool John Moores University. The vociferous and supportive students brought a lively atmosphere to Paton Field and the Ravers are looking more of the same for next week’s big game against Richmond who are returning to the Championship and Paton Field after a two-year absence. It promises to be a cracker as the Ravers look to celebrate ‘Ladies Day’ with another hard tussle against Richmond who recorded a win against Chinnor on Saturday. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Images courtesy of Dan at OneBall Creative & Kieran Free – Results 3rd xv – Chester 12 – 27 Caldy Rav3rs u18s Senior Colts – Newport 10 – 11 Caldy u17s Junior Colts – Caldy 24 – 19 Sandbach Our Junior Colts played Sandbach and despite going 14-0 down fought back for a 24-19 win ! Fabulous come back and resilience shown ! Caldy u17s Junior Colts in action against Sandbach ![]() ![]() ![]() Images thanks to Paolo Bafico-Cadle – Rugby coming up next weekend |

Caldy 1st xv & Caldy Rav3rs are both playing on ‘Ladies Day’ at Paton Field next Saturday 11th October.
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 with special guests Gloucester-Hartpury Women no.5, Beth Stafford, RFU President – Deborah Griffin, & Cheshire RFU President – Dewi Morris.
Saturday 11th October
Caldy v Richmond kick off 3.00pm
Champ Rugby round 2 – Match Tickets are available to buy via our club website
go to : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/
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Caldy Rav3rs v Capenhurst kick off 3.00pm
Sunday 12th October
u18s Senior Colts – Caldy v Stockport
u17s Junior Colts – Stockport v Caldy
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