Caldy 40 v 42 Hartpury 19 September 2026
The opening game at Paton Field produced 6 tries for each side but the visitors’ prevailed courtesy of a perfect performance from the tee by Hartpury’s standoff Harry Bazalgette to take the win at Paton Field by 40-42.
The Ravers didn’t touch the ball for the first 10 minutes and survived 3 successive penalties within their 22 but eventually the pressure told and from a further penalty lineout the Hartpury captain and hooker was driven over for the opening score.
Caldy eventually got their hands on the ball. A 20-metre driving maul had the home crowd roaring but rather than maintaining the forward momentum, debutant Caldy standoff Ben Parkin launched a pinpoint cross field kick to give winger Will Robinson a run to the line and their opening score.
The rest of the half was an arm wrestle but eventually the Ravers got on top and looked to have moved in front as another Robinson try in the left-hand corner was signaled by referee Ian Tempest and the near side assistant but was then surprisingly reversed after intervention by his assistant 40 metres away on the right-hand touchline.
Although playing with the elements in the 2nd half the home side started poorly. Two quick Hartpury scores by Dale Lemon and Alexander Gibson came from the home side’s mistakes and took the visitors into a 5-21 lead which they never relinquished. Despite Caldy scoring five further tries through Nye Thomas, Dylan Hodkinson, Ollie Wynn and a brace from Ollie Hearn, Hartpury did enough to always stay just ahead of the resurgent Ravers with three intervening scores from William Crane, Alexander Gibson and Oliver Holliday. Final score Caldy 40 Hartpury 42.
The contest featured a number of debutants from Caldy and Hartpury who were gaining their first taste of Champ rugby. All measured up to the standard. For Caldy Ben Parkin, Ollie Davis, Harry Oliver, Harry Harding, Cam de Beer and Eddie Banks can all be assured that they can perform at this level and will undoubtedly push on as they fully acclimatize to level 2 rugby.
Against a powerful Hartpury eight Caldy’s forwards had the upper hand in the set pieces and the mauls but in flankers Jay Evans and Harry Short, Hartpury possessed the most dynamic forwards in the loose. Caldy’s back play was perhaps quicker and more assured than in previous seasons which can be credited to the slick half back combination of Nye Thomas/Ollie Wynn and Ben Parkin/Ollie Davies. The Ravers supporters can look forward to more excitement at Paton Field.
The home side take credit for battling hard to narrow a three-score deficit but will rue the lapses of concentration at the start of the second half that created the predicament.
Both coaching teams were frustrated at the final whistle. Hartpury’s Head Coach Mark Cornwell was frustrated by his side’s significant penalty count and their inconsistent performance. “We did somethings very well but also had some poor moments. The officials clearly favoured the attacking side, and it was frustrating when some excellent defense was penalized”
Caldy’s Director of Rugby Gareth Davies was similarly nonplussed by his side’s performance. “We were architects of our own downfall. We have a lot of work to do before we travel to face Blackheath this coming Friday.
