Caldy RFC Vs Nottingham

President’s Welcome

Graham Armitage

A very warm welcome to the new rugby season to all of our members, supporters, and guests today and to our visitors from Nottingham R.F.C. in this the inaugural meeting between our two clubs.

I think it may take some time for us to adjust to the full rigours of Championship rugby, but this has been a good start to the new season in all respects, having lost a fairly close game at home to Hartpury and, after a slow start, having achieved a great win away at Richmond. To have been 26 -3 down after 23 minutes in the Richmond game was a fairly salutary experience, but the way in which the team responded before half time, including one of the tries of this or any previous season by Nick Royle, was impressive to say the least. Caldy were in charge for most of the second half and fully deserved their victory in what was a close fought game overall. Having scored points in both games Caldy have yet again achieved their highest ever league position, although no doubt there are far sterner tests to come.

The game against Hartpury was also notable for the visit of a party of Danes,

scheduled to visit Liverpool FC, but who, as a result of the cancellation at Anfield, were diverted to Caldy for the afternoon. I understand that as a result of their thorough enjoyment of the whole Caldy experience that a supporters club has now been formed in the city of Copenhagen.

Today as previously mentioned we welcome Nottingham RFC, their President Brian Hall and Chairman Alistair Bow to Paton Field for the first time in what continues to be a challenging season ahead. Rugby in Nottingham started as far back as 1877 and can list a whole host of famous names within their ranks during this period. I don’t have many statistics to present at time of going to press but can confirm that they have played rugby at senior level for much of their history including the more recent professional era. Nottingham have made an impressive start to the season having beaten London Scottish away and narrowly lost to Cornish Pirates at home. This will undoubtedly be our stiffest test to date and a further indication of our progress towards achieving our ambition of maintaining rugby at

Championship level. We hope that they also enjoy the Caldy experience today in this their first visit to Paton Field.

Off the pitch we have continued to upgrade our facilities with further improvements now virtually complete to the bank and floodlighting which will hopefully be completed this month. Other improvements have been carried out to satisfy Championship requirements both on and off the field within the clubhouse areas. Our thanks go to all those responsible including our chairman and committee for putting in so much effort in such a limited timescale to ensure that we can all enjoy the level of rugby that is now on offer, and to our sponsors who have made this financially possible.

Our thanks must also go to our team of ground staff, the Last of the Summer Wine (LOSW for short), who freely give enormous amounts of their time to produce and maintain the standard of pitches that we all possibly take a little too much for granted. You only had to be here for the pre -season game against Sale Sharks and the recent game against Hartpury to appreciate the wonderful aspect and playing facilities that the club now has to offer. I also need to mention the contribution of all of those involved in the day to day operation and management of the club including our bar, catering and

other members of staff without whom the club could not effectively function.

Thanks also to all of our members, supporters and spectators for your incredible support particularly towards the culmination of last season and hopefully going forward as we continue to face this massive new challenge ahead. Your contribution cannot be underestimated and is an essential part of our effort to maintain our status with our centenary season just around the corner. Let’s all get fully behind our teams in the weeks and months ahead come wind, rain or shine and give them the positive support and encouragement they deserve. We have increased the capacity for our pre-match lunches which are becoming increasingly popular and are available to book on line. If you wish to do this or become a member/purchase a season ticket or help us in any way please refer to our website for further details.

Finally, I sincerely hope that you enjoy your visit to Caldy today, particularly the rugby on offer and that come win lose or draw, we can all celebrate our match day experience together with good banter and a few drinks in the traditional way after the game.

Graham Armitage

Caldy Coach’s Report Matt Cairns

It’s been an interesting two weeks as an introduction to the Championship and its been great for the team to experience it so far. We know its going to be a tough season but we are fairly happy with the start. We know we left chances out there against Hartpury and maybe a bit more experience at this level and the result could’ve been different.

Over the last couple of seasons we’ve really developed a fantastic away record which continued down in Richmond last Saturday. After a tough start the lads rallied well and in the end came away deserved winners. Onto this week and we face a long time established championship club which we know will be another step up. We have lots to work on this week but we must keep improving if we are gong to stay in this league. Enjoy the game and get behind the lads!

Andrew Soutar - Coach Sponsor: Heatons

Gareth Davies - Director of Rugby

Matt Cairns - Head Coach

Sponsor: Caldy Under 16’S

Richard Vasey - Coach

Sponsor: Premier Guarantee

That Friday Feeling

John Lyon

An effervescent coach journey back to the Wirral was the team’s reward for a first win on the road last week 34-32 against Richmond FC.

A result which pleased Caldy’s Head Coach Matt Cairns

“It was good to get the win after a particularly strong comeback in the second half. We made three early mistakes which Richmond ruthlessly punished but scores from Harrison and a ‘worldy’ by Nick kept us in touch, and we improved our performance and discipline after the break.”

This Saturday, Caldy’s senior side has a first-ever meeting with Nottingham RFC at Paton Field. The ‘Archers’ have a long history of some 145 years and together with their ‘partner’ club Leicester Tigers they are the rugby powerhouse in the East Midlands. Nottingham’s role

call of famous former players reflects their history and status as well as any other marker. Brian Moore, Rob Andrew, Neil Back are just a few of the international players to pull on the green and white jersey.

Cairns knows just how tough an encounter this is going to be.

“The step up in physicality and intensity from National 1 to the Championship is massive and unrelenting. We know every week we will have to scramble for points, and this is another huge test for us. Nottingham are very seasoned performers at this level and after last week’s narrow home loss to Cornish Pirates they will be coming to Paton Field looking for maximum points”

In a week which has shaken topflight rugby with the news of the potential insolvency

of both Worcester Warriors and Wasps, yesterday the Daily Telegraph published its view of how topflight rugby in England could be restructured. In an article entitled ‘How to fix Premiership rugby’, sportswriter Ben Cole recommended a 10team Premiership and a 12-team Championship, listing each team that would comprise these two leagues. Somewhat surprisingly, Caldy were not featured!

2nd xv away at Blackburn

Andrew Soutar and Christian Jones take a strong 2nd xv to face an unbeaten Blackburn side at Ramsgreave Drive, Blackburn, BB1 8NB. Kick-off is 3 pm

Community Rugby – a message from Tim Kilpatrick

Calling all Caldy RFC Community members – Minis, Juniors, Girls, Colts, Women & Touch rugby – your club needs YOU! We need your support at Caldy Senior Rugby home games every Saturday this season. Help us raise our ‘stadium’s’ roof on match days!

That Friday Feeling - Continued

Please purchase discounted tickets online in advance or use your complimentary season ticket to boost our Caldy 1st XV Championship Rugby attendances.

A big thank you to our u13 & u15 Juniors for stepping up at the last 1st xv home game against Hartpury to help with the gate, parking, raffle & litter picking. Our u15 Juniors have volunteered to help again with the gate and parking at this Saturday’s home game against Nottingham and the u13 Juniors are hosting the raffle.

Congratulations to our Caldy Junior & Senior Colts for winning their opening league games –Juniors: Preston Grasshoppers 14 – 26 Caldy; Seniors: Caldy 15 – 0 Chester

Caldy Senior Colts have a huge game this Sunday in the Under 18 National Cup against Leigh with a 2 pm kick off at Paton Field

Good luck to all Caldy Minis & Juniors & age grades this weekend. Have fun everyone!

26-3 down after 25 minutes and the small band of travelling Caldy supporters were preparing themselves for a less than exuberant trip back to the Wirral. Caldy weren’t playing badly, they had started the better and had the edge up front but Richmond were just ruthlessly clinical.

Three mistakes by Caldy had led to three tries from Richmond all based on simple well executed rugby. Turnovers and fast ball transfer combined with excellent decision making by the Richmond centres Paul Kiernan and Paddy Case provided overlaps galore which the home side didn’t squander.

Caldy had to find a response and it had to come quickly if Caldy were to take anything out of the game. On the 35-minute mark a brilliant turnover by Sam Dickinson led to a catch and drive score by the barnstorming Harrison Crowe. There was a chance.

The magic came moments later. Defending their 5-metre line didn’t look like a promising attacking position for the Ravers but when Nick Royle snaffles a loose ball anything can happen, and it did. The veteran flyer didn’t contemplate kicking. If he could somehow deal with 5 would be Richmond tacklers, he was going the length of the pitch to score. It was brilliantly audacious but highly improbable. He fended, handed off, stepped out of tackles, and finally out sprinted all the Richmond defenders to

score ninety-five metres away from the point from where he had set off.

It was the finest individual score most will ever have seen at any level. It sucked all the air out of Richmond’s 30-minute bubble and inflated Caldy’s confidence. 26-15 at the break and it was all to play for.

The Second Half

Richmond’s early scores had been orchestrated by the excellent play from their midfield, but for some reason they switched their second half tactics to focus their efforts through their juggernaut pack. Although the 6ft 11inch behemoth Will Carrick Smith was often making a mess of Caldy’s line out, Caldy’s forwards had the ascendancy in all other facets. Hard carrying from Harrison Crowe, Tom Sanders, Sam Dickinson, and Adam Aigbokhae was sapping the home side and with Chris Pilgrim and Ezra Hinchcliffe expertly controlling play, Caldy maintained both their momentum and their stranglehold on possession and territory.

Two quick scores in the first 10 minutes from Sam Dickinson and JJ Dickinson took the visitors into the lead 26-29 and secured a four try bonus point. The Caldy forwards now looked the fitter and more obviously dominant and an element of panic crept into Richmond’s hurried and disjointed play. Although Richmond struck back with a couple of well taken penalty kicks to regain

the lead 32-29, Caldy’s pack never relinquished their control. The home side were imprisoned in their own half and try as they might they just couldn’t break free from Caldy’s shackles.

Replacement scrum half Joe Murray picked up from where Pilgrim had left off. Racking up the pressure through the forwards would surely manufacture another final scoring chance for the Ravers. It did, the chance falling to replacement second row Martin Gerrard who charged down an attempted relieving kick by Richmond and nimbly followed up the bouncing

That Friday Feeling

ball for a well taken score in the corner.

Caldy 32-34 ahead and a disciplined last 8 minutes set up their first ever Championship win. The Rugby Paper gave the Man of the Match to Caldy captain JJ Dickinson, but this was a real team performance full of grit, bloody mindedness, smart tactical play, and 12 seconds of staggering individual brilliance.

In the vernacular of the under 40’s it was just the ‘sickest’ of coach journeys back to the Wirral.