Post by Jamie Crawford on Jul 7, 2022 10:55:23 GMT
The Championship reverts to a 12-team division after Ealing Trailfinders failed to meet Premiership entry criteria due to minimum ground capacity not being 10 000 and Caldy RFC have been promoted from National One. The Premiership minimum ground capacity requirement is due to change to 5 000 at the end of this season and many teams could meet this requirement, most with a little additional capacity.
Who are Caldy RFC? They have great potential to compete well in the division. Additionally last-season’s whipping boys London Scottish have reinvigorated themselves with a new Director of Rugby (DoR) in ex-Scotland Scrum-Half Bryan Redpath (60 caps) and several new signings, so that fixture can no-longer be pencilled-in as a W on the scoresheet before the game. Redpath has DoR experience as Gloucester, Sale and Leeds Carnegie DoR’s.
Caldy RFC play at Paton Field, about 15 minutes away from New Brighton Rugby Club for those that remember going there.
After winning the National Two North title in April 2017, with two games to play they were promoted to National One. They remained in National One for one season but were relegated in their second season. They regained promotion at the first time of asking and would have broken club and National league records (allegedly) if Covid hadn’t intervened. (From their website)
Caldy finished the 2021/22 season top of National One and will be playing in the Championship next season. Caldy finished above Sale FC by five points, after winning 23, losing three and drawing two of their 28 games played.
They conceded the fewest points and gained 15 try bonus points on their journey.
Some history.
“The club was formed in 1924 as the Old Caldeians Rugby Club for past pupils of Calday Grange School. The first pitch was on a field at Caldy Crossroads and the players changed in the Barn across the road at Croxtons Farm. In 1928 Sir Alfred Paton, a benefactor of the School gifted Thurstaston Hill to the National Trust, with the proviso that the Rugby Club would have a pitch in perpetuity and the rest of the 20 acres to be used for the benefit of the youth of the area. The original pavilion was built in 1928 and is still the wooden core of the current building today.
The first pitch was levelled by the members in the 1930’s when volunteers slept in the clubhouse and in tents for the summer, and a trench for the electric cabling was dug by the boys from the school who were in detention. Much of the funds for the clubhouse were raised by donations and bazaars organised by the members and the school.
In 1951 Hoylake Cricket Club moved to Paton field as tenants of the Rugby club and are now an active part of the Caldy Sports Club. In 1967 the club levelled the slope outside the clubhouse to provide a first-class 1st XV pitch at a cost of £7000.
In 1968 the Club opened and became Caldy Rugby Club. The club was an original member of the Giro bank North West league which was the forerunner of National Leagues. It had mixed success and in 1996 it was relegated into level 9 in the League pyramid. A more professional approach was taken; since 1996 the club have won 5 league titles and were runners up twice before being promoted into National Two West in 2007. In 2017 they finally won the league, after losing the first game, went unbeaten for 28 games which is a club record.
Who are Caldy RFC? They have great potential to compete well in the division. Additionally last-season’s whipping boys London Scottish have reinvigorated themselves with a new Director of Rugby (DoR) in ex-Scotland Scrum-Half Bryan Redpath (60 caps) and several new signings, so that fixture can no-longer be pencilled-in as a W on the scoresheet before the game. Redpath has DoR experience as Gloucester, Sale and Leeds Carnegie DoR’s.
Caldy RFC play at Paton Field, about 15 minutes away from New Brighton Rugby Club for those that remember going there.
After winning the National Two North title in April 2017, with two games to play they were promoted to National One. They remained in National One for one season but were relegated in their second season. They regained promotion at the first time of asking and would have broken club and National league records (allegedly) if Covid hadn’t intervened. (From their website)
Caldy finished the 2021/22 season top of National One and will be playing in the Championship next season. Caldy finished above Sale FC by five points, after winning 23, losing three and drawing two of their 28 games played.
They conceded the fewest points and gained 15 try bonus points on their journey.
Some history.
“The club was formed in 1924 as the Old Caldeians Rugby Club for past pupils of Calday Grange School. The first pitch was on a field at Caldy Crossroads and the players changed in the Barn across the road at Croxtons Farm. In 1928 Sir Alfred Paton, a benefactor of the School gifted Thurstaston Hill to the National Trust, with the proviso that the Rugby Club would have a pitch in perpetuity and the rest of the 20 acres to be used for the benefit of the youth of the area. The original pavilion was built in 1928 and is still the wooden core of the current building today.
The first pitch was levelled by the members in the 1930’s when volunteers slept in the clubhouse and in tents for the summer, and a trench for the electric cabling was dug by the boys from the school who were in detention. Much of the funds for the clubhouse were raised by donations and bazaars organised by the members and the school.
In 1951 Hoylake Cricket Club moved to Paton field as tenants of the Rugby club and are now an active part of the Caldy Sports Club. In 1967 the club levelled the slope outside the clubhouse to provide a first-class 1st XV pitch at a cost of £7000.
In 1968 the Club opened and became Caldy Rugby Club. The club was an original member of the Giro bank North West league which was the forerunner of National Leagues. It had mixed success and in 1996 it was relegated into level 9 in the League pyramid. A more professional approach was taken; since 1996 the club have won 5 league titles and were runners up twice before being promoted into National Two West in 2007. In 2017 they finally won the league, after losing the first game, went unbeaten for 28 games which is a club record.