| By the time that this week’s issue of the Friday Feeling is published Cornish Pirates and their supporters are likely to be well into the longest league journey in English rugby. All 375 miles of it. After 6 weeks of incessant rain their team coach will be travelling through a flooded landscape to their overnight stop, but everything will look brighter on Saturday morning. Valentine’s Day on the Wirral is forecast to be sunny and bright with no wind to mention, providing perfect conditions for round 17 of the Champ at Paton Field. Caldy and Cornish Pirates are 8th and 9th in the Champ table but equal on 43 league points with the Wirral side just pipping the Penzance side courtesy of having 8 wins compared to 7 for the Pirates. The tightness of their respective league positions is in complete contrast to the head-to-head record with the Ravers having only won once in the nine previous encounters. This solitary victory by 15-14 was on a snow-covered Paton Field back in December 2022.  Dan Owen and Matt Kilcourse in action against Pirates at the Mennaye Image thanks to Brian Tempest Caldy’s Head Coach Matt Cairns reiterates the challenge that Cornish Pirates will represent. “They are a very well coached, full time pro side and will bring that level of performance to Paton Field. They have an outstanding pack of forwards and game breakers out wide, we will need to take every opportunity if we are to pick up another win”. After a close 24-27 loss away at the Mennaye earlier in the season, Cairns has pinpointed where home advantage could really benefit the Ravers. “Our home crowd makes a huge difference to our performance, it’s voice has undoubtedly been a massive factor in us getting over the line in our last couple of home games. We need to start quickly against the Pirates and if there was one request I could make of Caldy’s fantastic home crowd it would be for the noise and support from the Bank and the Party Stand to be as loud at the start of the game as it normally is at the end of a game. The players will respond for sure !”.  Caldy v Nottingham – the Bank made the difference Image thanks to Barry Quatermass Ebullient Welshman Lewis Barker echoed Matt Cairns’ sentiments. “The Ravers’ supporters are a tremendous group of people, but sometimes it does take them a bit of time for their voices to warm up. On Saturday I will be encouraging them to make as much supportive noise as possible from the moment the Caldy players leave the changing rooms. Every decibel helps !” A Caldy sponsor was so impressed by the vocal support provided by Caldy’s under 16s in the recent home win over Nottingham that he has offered to donate £75 to the Caldy age group that generates the most vocal support for the Ravers this weekend. There is the added incentive of a £25 bonus for the loudest supporter as long as he, she or they can make more noise than Caldy’s twin human foghorns Paul Harrison and Alan Roberts. Caldy President Graham Armitage will be sole judge and jury. Should be simples ! The gates will be open from 11.00 am for this pivotal Champ game and tickets can be bought from here https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/ The weather promises to be wonderful and the rugby fast and furious. So come down to Paton Field, get your beers in early and on this Valentine Day follow the lead of ‘Lulu and the Luvvers’ and Shout, Shout, Shout, for the Ravers LULU – Singing Shout from Ready Steady Go 1965 Caldy’s record breaking 2nd xv are also in action tomorrow with a league fixture against Preston Grasshoppers. Note change of venue – the game will now be played away at University of Liverpool Wyncote Sports Ground, Mather Avenue, Liverpool with an earlier kick off at 12.30pm.  Caldy’s last tough encounter with Preston Grasshoppers Image thanks to Barry MacDonald After last weekend’s tight 33 -21 win against the Hoppers in the Barry Allen Memorial Cup the young Ravers have to do it all over again in the league, and it is not going to be any easier than last week. Hoppers sit at the top of the Nowirul Premier League 3 points ahead of unbeaten Caldy solely by virtue of having played one more game. Second placed Caldy are 12 points ahead of third placed Stockport and 18 points ahead of fourth placed Chester. Although this competitive 2025/26 Premier League still has 7 or 8 rounds of matches to go Saturday’s compelling fixture between Caldy and Preston Grasshoppers may well determine the destination of the league title.  Image by Lewis Barker Caldy’s Head Coach Matt Cairns has picked the following squad for tomorrow’s home fixture against Cornish Pirates at Paton Field. The match kicks off at 2.00pm. 1. Monty Weatherby 2. Matt Gallagher 3. Nathan Rushton 4. Max Loboda 5. Sam Olyott 6. Callum Ridgway 7. Jordan Jones 8. JJ Dickinson (c) 9. Ollie Wynn 10. Kieran Wilkinson 11. Will Robinson 12. Michael Barlow 13. Connor Wilkinson 14. Rhys Tudor 15. Charlie Hyde Replacements : Joe Sproston, Ollie Hearn, Ryan Higginson, Dan Owen, Matt Rabbette, Tom Akehurst, Lewis Barker, Jacob Mitchell  Image by Francesca Rowley Please get yourself down to Paton Field tomorrow afternoon to support the Ravers We need to pack JJ’s Bank and the Ravers party stand – we need every fan to raise the roof ! 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 Ginger Cat Coffee, Burrito Shack, DoughBros outside catering all open from 1.00pm Plus after the game live music in the marquee from 4.00pm – 6.00pm “Harry James” and the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations will be live on TV in both the marquee and clubhouse tomorrow Thanks to our u9s players, parents & coaches for organising a curtain raiser game v Mold, player guard of honour & volunteering to help with car parking. Plus they will be running the raffle so please support our u9s on the day to win fabulous prizes ! – Saturday 14th February – NOWIRUL Premier League Caldy 2nd xv v Preston Grasshoppers 2nd xv kick off 12.30pm at University of Liverpool Wyncote Sports Ground, Mather Avenue, Liverpool L18 6HF Many thanks to University of Liverpool for allowing the game to be played on their 3G rugby pitch tomorrow. Caldy 2nd xv squad for tomorrow’s game ; 1. Jaco Oosthuyzen 2. Isaac Hardisty 3. Tomas Williams 4. Paul Lewis 5. Tom Shanahan (c) 6. Adam Boodhun 7. Luke Denn 8. Jack Wilson 9. James Pickering 10. Dan Rabbette 11. Lucas Wiggins 12. Gabe Mault 13. Eddie Banks 14. Dylan Carroll 15. Matt Kilcourse 16. Harry Evans 17. Fin McGrath 18. Cam Brown 19. Felix Clarke 20. Toby Elkerton 21. Harri Williams – Community Rugby – Sunday 15th February This Sunday we renew old rivalries with our friends at Mold, with the odds at home and the evens away. It’s the Cheshire Cup for the u14s and u15s, so best of luck to u14s who play Holmes Chapel at home and to the u15s who make the short journey to Wirral to play their cup game. The Senior Colts are back in action with one of the biggest matches of the season, at home to Chester – both teams battling it out for NW League A title. Kick off is at 2.00pm and the lads would welcome everyone’s support on JJ’s Bank ! u6s training at home u7s, u11s, u13s at home v Mold u8s, u10s, u16s away at Mold u12s away at Hoylake u14s Cheshire Cup at home v Holmes Chapel u15s Cheshire Cup away at Wirral u14s, u16s, u18s Girls training at home u17s Junior Colts rest week u18s Senior Colts home v Chester kick off 2.00pm at Paton Field – 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 21st February – Champ Rugby round 18 Worcester Warriors v Caldy kick off 12.00 noon at Sixways Stadium Saturday 21st February – NOWIRUL Premier League Caldy 2nd xv v Fylde Hawks 2nd xv kick off 2.00 pm at Paton Field Saturday 28th February – Champ Rugby round 19 Caldy v Bedford Blues kick off 2.00 pm at Paton Field Match Tickets are available to buy here : https://caldyrugbyclub.com/buy-tickets-membership/ Hospitality details & bookings please contact Kenzie email : [email protected] Saturday 28th February – NOWIRUL Premier League Caldy 2nd xv v Sedgley Park 2nd xv kick off 2.00 pm at Paton Field – Events coming up  Caldy RFC’s first-ever Armed Forces Day will be taking place on Saturday 11th April at Paton Field. This special day celebrates and supports our Armed Forces community, and we would love for you to be part of it. There will be Champ Rugby – Caldy v Hartpury, plus Div 3 West – Rav3rs v Crosby St Mary’s. The day will be a joint fundraiser for Caldy RFC and our charity partner Walking With The Wounded (WWTW), a UK charity that supports veterans living with physical, mental, or social injuries, helping them regain purpose and independence. We welcome bookings of any size into our ‘Mess Hall’, whether you’d like a table for family, friends, colleagues, or just a small group. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy a fantastic day at the club, support a worthy cause, and connect with the wider Caldy RFC community. Don’t miss out – book your table today and be part of this special day ! Please contact Kenzie Allen : email : [email protected] mobile : 07940 233303 –  Join us on Friday 15th May at Heswall Golf Club for the Caldy RFC Golf Day. Team stableford competition with a shotgun start, food included and prizes throughout the day. £595 per team of four ball ( VAT included) Prizes for nearest the pin, longest drive, beat the pro and team places. To enter or for more information please contact Kenzie Allen : email : [email protected] mobile : 07940 233303 |
Caldy – That Friday Feeling 13th February ’26
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