What a difference a week makes. Last weekend all 3 of Caldy’s senior sides were in action but this weekend there is no senior rugby at all. The 1st xv have a free weekend as the Elior Champ has a late autumn break and the Ravers will resume next Saturday away at the Richmond Athletic Ground against old friends Richmond.
The 2nd xv were due to play Fylde at Paton Field on Saturday. Due to the competitive history between the Ravers and the ‘Mighty Fylde’ this was a highly anticipated fixture which has always been a compelling watch. No one who was there could forget some of the famous previous encounters between the clubs.
The first bruising encounter at Paton Field between Caldy and Fylde at 1st xv level came in the Ravers’ first season in the National leagues. Caldy player coach Matt Holt knew this was a big step up for the team and exhorted the Ravers not to be intimidated on home turf by a more ‘experienced’ Fylde squad. To a man the Caldy squad followed instructions and prevailed over the visibly shocked ashen faced men from Lytham St Annes.
The following season when Mark Nelson’s side came to Paton Field they had a clear plan. Fylde’s giant second row Nick King was being ‘wound up’ ready for a ferocious shock and awe release. A glance through the window saw Kingi’s brooding and threatening presence dominating the snug changing room the visitors had been allocated in the Wooden Shack. The Mighty Fylde were ready to explode into action!
However, ahead of the kickoff it was apparent that the bijou nature of Fylde’s changing facilities were not quite what the visitors expected or were used to. The matter was mediated by the respective kit men. The ‘battle of the kit men’ has become part of Caldy’s folklore. The impressively large Kenny Roberts dueled with his equally large opposite number. There was no clear winner but the spectacle so diverted attention and energy that Nick King’s destructive effectiveness had fizzled out by the time the game got under way.
Unfortunately, tomorrow there will be no 2nd xv clash between Caldy v Fylde . At 8.30 pm on Thursday night Fylde advised that, despite not having a 1st xv fixture on Saturday, this august and venerable club couldn’t fulfill the 2nd xv league fixture because they didn’t have a sufficient number of available players. Let’s hope this state of affairs is a temporary blip or is as a result of a rash of seasonal colds or other nonserious impediments.
At whatever level it occurs the Ravers v Mighty Fylde is one of the fixtures most looked forward to each and every season.
The 3rd xv have no scheduled fixture this weekend.
Community Rugby – Sunday 25th October
For the majority of our age groups – u7 through u13 – we have a block booking with Waterloo. The odds are travelling across the water and the evens are at home. The u12 Girls are at home to Wrexham Valkyries with a 1.00pm kick off.
The u14s are entertaining Mold, whilst the u16s have a home encounter with Lymm.
For the Colts, it is a rest weekend from League action for both teams, but the Junior Colts have organised a friendly with Tarleton RFC away
Sunday 25th October as follows :
u6s training at home
u7s, u9s, u11s, u13s away at Waterloo
u8, u10, u12s at home v Waterloo
u12s Girls at home v Wrexham Valkyries – ko 1.00pm
u14s – u18s Girls training at home
u14s at home v Mold
u15s to be confirmed
u16s at home v Lymm
u17s Junior Colts & u18s Senior Colts – rest weekend
Please remember “No referees, No games” – disrespect or verbal abuse of rugby match officials is totally unacceptable & has no place in rugby.
Good luck to everyone & enjoy your rugby this weekend !
