Week 18

A tighter game than the final scoreline suggested with Caldy fielding 5 backs 21 or under and a few others who had stepped up from the Caldy second xv. Donny had the edge just. However, but for a somewhat controversial late 14 point swing Caldy could have fairly picked up a losing bonus point. A Caldy breakaway with the line at their mercy was hauled back by a strange interpretation by the assistant referee who in my view wrongly and belatedly signalled for a knock on earlier in the play by the Ravers. Galvanized by the let off Donny scored in the corner to bring up their 5th score but I heard that Donny's own players were somewhat sheepish about the award of the try and acknowledged it hadn't been grounded.

However such are the vicissitudes present in any game it didn't detract from a highly enjoyable and close fought game by two entertaining sides. Hats off to the young players Charlie Hyde, Jacob Mitchell and Dylan Carroll who really stepped up against a top team in Donny.

Caldy made a few too many errors to have won the game but there is no doubt in my mind the Ravers are getting closer to reaching the necessary standard without yet quite translating their improvement into league points.

Although not a point about Championship rugby I am going to also congratulate Caldy's 2nd xv for winning the Halbro League's Primo Drinks Cup with a 27-24 win against Sedgley Park who were heavily reinforced with seven 1st team players including the giant Tom Ailes and Nat 1's top try scorer winger Rhys Henderson. Shorn of some of their best players who were playing against Donny the Caldy 2nd team were real underdogs against a very strong Sedgley xv but somehow against the odds the Caldy youngsters racked up their 125th consecutive win......just extraordinary !! 

Hats off to the inspirational coaching team of Andrew Soutar and Christian Jones who have guided and led this home grown squad to this extraordinary achievement.