The Ravers v The Blood & Sand

Long ago I was told by Camquin or someone else from Cambridge where "The Blood & Sand" reference came from but regretfully I have forgotten. I think it comes from the First World War but I would appreciate it if someone from Cambridge could remind me.

Caldy's nick name "The Ravers" (Not the Ravens as Hull RFC once called them) doesn't have such a heroic genesis as The Blood and Sand but it is nevertheless an amusing story.

Back in the 2005/6 season Caldy had just reached the dizzy heights of North 1 and the rugby was getting serious. The form team in North 1 was Morley but as the North 1 newbies Caldy were very firmly in the relegation mix. 

On the Thursday before the 11 February clash at Paton Field between Caldy and Morley, the Caldy squad eschewed the Thursday training session and instead went to Liverpool's Echo Arena for a night of Premier League Darts with all the madness and revelry that involved.

Word spread about Caldy's unusual training session and an away win for Morley was considered to be a given by participants in the  North 1 prediction league .....there was no chance that the Caldy 'Ravers' could match the mighty Morley.

Caldy 24 - Morley 24

The Cambridge colours come from the main colours on the City's the coat of arms - which the club used as a badge until this season, when we adopted a simplified version as a badge that belongs to the club.

I am not sure for sure, but Valantino's film about bull fighting Blood and Sand was the hit film of 1923. So it makes sense that the term was in the Zeitgeist. Hence, the avatar.

Had a great day up at the little wooden shack, so an excellent game of running rugby, which either side could have won. 28-all would have been a fair result, but we lost to the final kick, a well taken long range penalty.

Will be back next year, and might try to get there in time for lunch.