Caldy 22 Coventry Rugby 33 - Cov warm to the task as spirited Caldy left out in the cold
- 1874tsmith
- 2 minutes ago
- 8 min read
You’re a winner
I’m a winner
This is all happening so fast
You’re a winner
I’m a winner
Let’s enjoy it all while it lasts
[Verse 2]
I’ve been a loser
I’ve paid my dues
I fought my way up from the ground
Now at this moment
The crowd acclaim us
Will you just listen to that sound
Winner - Pet Shop Boys
There really aren't many tougher places to grind out a win in The Champ than Caldy.
Cornish Pirates, perhaps, but that's about it.
Irrespective of the opposition's strength, the travel distance, the exposed nature of the pitch, the restricted atmosphere (due to the pitch being open on three sides), and the slope all pose significant challenges for any visiting team.
Not mention the tough, gritty northern opposition - never, ever should they be underestimated.
Ampthill is comparable in terms of the setting, but it doesn't instill the same level of fear nowadays.
And although the likes of Ealing, Bedford and Worcester might offer a sterner test purely in
terms of the strength of their squads, but for me Caldy is the most demanding of grounds we visit.
In mid-December, playing against the wind and uphill in the second half makes it even more so. Trailing 17-14 at halftime, Cov appeared to be in for a tough battle, with the outcome still far too close to call. If anything, with home advantage Caldy were probably slight favourites
That Cov won in the end, and won quite comfortably, speaks volumes for the progress this group of players is currently making. Cov controlled the game for much of the second half, scoring three tries to put an eleven point cushion between themselves and Caldy and ensuring that the Caldy backs, who had caused them considerably problems in the first half, had limited ball and even less space in the second forty.
Coventry had been justifiably criticised for some poor game management in their defeat to Doncaster just three weeks ago but there was no such case to answer yesterday as Cov played to their strengths and used their bench to great effect. In The Rugby Paper, John Lyon is quick to point out that Cov are a fully professional squad, a point he repeats again later, the implication being that the size of our squad and, in particular, the strength of the bench was the main reason for Cov's win.
Perhaps that played a part, but for me it was about Cov's ability to control a game that in similar situations we might have lost not so long ago. Cov's replacements certainly ensured Cov kept the squeeze on in the scrums but the writing was on the wall for Caldy well before the changes were made.
The big difference for me was that Cov had clearly worked out a plan to stop Caldy's forwards from mauling effectively close to our line - defensively, I thought this was one of our best performances of the season. Caldy's leading try scorer is their hooker but despite a number of lineouts in our red area, they struggled to get any forward momentum from their own throw, with Cov negating the threat from their driving mauls throughout the game.
This was a most un-Caldy like performance, really. I've watched all the games we played against them since their promotion and a few before, too, and they've pretty much always relied on a big, powerful set of forwards to dominate the game. Yesterday, however, uncharacteristically it was the their backs who caused Cov the most problems, especially in the first half.
Robinson and especially Ene were quick and powerful and created several opportunities with Caldy looking to attack from deep rather than box quick their way out of trouble. In fairness, it was enjoyable to watch with both sides opting to run the ball far more than might have been expected, especially given the conditions. I thought Maunder kicked less than in the previous games and when he was replaced and the game was tightly poised, Barton kicked really well with time for the chasers to put the receiver under plenty of pressure.
I have always felt that clubs earning the chance to compete in The Champ by securing promotion from National One should be permitted to do so, as long as the safety of both players and spectators is not jeopardised. That should be sacrosanct. The Champ is a better place for the inclusion of clubs like Caldy, Chinnor, Ampthill and Cambridge. It might not suit the RFU to have them there but for most supporters, it keeps The Champ (and rugby in general) honest.
I love visiting these sorts of clubs and were I limited in my opportunities to travel to away games, I'd always pick these clubs in preference to some of the others in our league. That said, I do think there are a couple of things about Caldy that make watching rugby there a little less enjoyable than perhaps it ought to be...
...simple things, too.
For a start, there's no public address, or at least there wasn't yesterday. With so many changes being made these days as benches are unloaded in a relatively short space of time, it's often the case that you miss an exit or an entrance - to have this announced should be a requirement at this level. In the failing light it's not always possible to spot player replacements from the far end of the pitch.
In fairness, it did make a pleasant change not to have the pulsating music drowning out conversations before the game or indeed the superfluous music in between breaks together with the unnecessary comments from an announcer who, in his head, thinks he's witty but not so in everyone else's.
And there's no clock at Paton Field, or if there is it's not visible form the far side. Again, even if it's not always accurate, having access to a digital countdown in minutes should be an expectation when you're paying £20 to watch a game (although only £5 for students is to be applauded!).
By 3:45, it was becoming quite dark, and I wonder if it might be more suitable to start at 1:30 pm at the latest in December and January for clubs without floodlights. I accept, of course, this makes it harder for travelling fans.
It's also not the most accessible of grounds outside of the clubhouse if you're a bit unsteady on your pins. I certainly was conscious of having to take greater care going down the slippy wooden steps than in previous visits and with the banks quite steep in places, I imagine in the rain a lot of caution would be required if you're of a goodly age (which I now am, sad to say).
The lack of cover doesn't concern me at all and for those for whom having a roof over the heads is important, the club now have a small, but very functionable, mobile stand which wasn't even half full on Saturday, despite the cold.
Where Caldy really do excel is the quality of their food.
I didn't set foot in the clubhouse so there might be other options available there, but to be honest there was no need to explore elsewhere as the food sold outside was of such exceptional quality.
Young Josh, having vivid flashbacks of his past trips to Caldy, decided to stick with a measly sausage roll and a tub of Pringles on the coach ride. This was his way of saying he was saving himself for later.
And Caldy certainly didn't disappoint.
At £15, the two pulled pork tacos and a box nachos weren't cheap, but neither was it as expensive in comparison with some other grounds and, of course, it was much healthier. The portions were generous and well cooked (although the pork wasn't as hot as it could have been apparently), but there was a good mix of salad and grated cheese and the ingredients all appeared fresh.
It certainly looked more appetising than a stodgy pie or burger and chips and filled Josh up enough not to want anything for the rest of the day which actually made it even better value.
Tempted as I was, I opted for a cup of leek and potato soup.
Although it wouldn't have won any awards for presentation, it was actually very tasty and provided a bit of short term warmth on what was a cold day on the Wirral. (I had a second at half-time!).
At £3.50 it was a really good alternative to a cup of coffee (there was also a coffee can there, too) - it proved quite popular with the local punters and I'm sure would go down well at the BPA. Just sayin'
Josh was quick to give Caldy the season's highest score of 8.5, propelling them to the top of the leaderboard in the Unofficial Champ Food Watch. Next up is Cambridge on Boxing Day, where a festive pizza, along with the hog roast if available again, might pose a challenge to Caldy.
The Unofficial Champ Food Watch - 2025/26
Caldy 8.5
Doncaster Knights 8.0
Chinnor 7.5
Worcester Warriors 7
Richmond 7
Coventry Rugby 6.5
Rather like a juggernaut gathers speed, Cov seem to be finding a bit of momentum at the moment and are beginning to show the kind of form that could take them into the playoff places in the next two or three games. There are still some tricky games to come mind, with the home game against Nottingham next up being especially hard to call after the Archers' narrow defeat to Ealing on Friday and their solid start to the season generally.
Unfortunately, given Cambridge's current form, an away win there should bit of a banker. The following Saturday, playing against Pirates offers us an opportunity to overtake another team ahead of us. Both Pirates and Nottingham are just two points ahead, so hopefully, things could change by the time we head into the break.
Cov's forwards continue to excel. Caldy, known for their strong forward play, faced challenges in the set piece, particularly in the scrums where we maintained dominance for most of the match. Regardless of the front row combination, we consistently put pressure on their scrums, at one stage earning three penalties on their line. We would likely have secured a fourth penalty (and Caldy received a yellow card) if we hadn't released the ball just as the referee was about to call the infringement.
Aristot Salomon-Benz particularly impressed, causing their front row all sorts of problems and tearing chunks out of the Caldy defence on a couple of galloping runs. Even without Trinder, the scrum has been a strength and the dual reg from Sale, Alfie Longstaff, looks to be the perfect short-term loan should Ma'asi and Davidson remain unavailable. With plenty of options in both the second and back rows, there is still strength in depth even allowing for the injury to Graham.
Behind the scrum, it was a more subdued Cov yesterday...yes, the backs scored three of the five tries but they were the result of strong forward play for the most part rather than being run in from deep. The ability to change their game plan according to the opposition is something that hasn't always been apparent (to me, anyway) but Cov certainly seemed to play the game differently yesterday, and to great effect.
Due to the distances involved, there were fewer Coventry fans at Caldy than we typically have on our trips (many thanks to the CRSC for organising the transport, without which even fewer would have attended). Nevertheless, those present were very vocal, and with an official attendance of just 892, they could often be heard encouraging their team. Hopefully, next weekend will bring the largest crowd of the season at the BPA, and their support might inspire Coventry to another impressive performance.
It's taken a while for Cov to run into some consistent form, the result of a very tough set of opening fixtures and a much larger than normal influx of new players. It was always going to be a difficult start but credit to the coaches and players for responding the way they have.
Now at this moment
The crowd acclaim us
Will you just listen to that sound
Onwards and upwards.
Up the Cov!