We catch up with Super6 player Cal Davies…

Back in mid-2019 Cal Davies was training with his former club Haddington when he received a call from Watsonians Rugby Super6 Head Coach Fergus Pringle - and the hooker has not looked back since.

He was a key performer in the 2019/20 season before the FOSROC Super6 competition was brought to a shuddering halt, scoring a number of tries and impressing in the tight and the loose as ‘Sonians topped the regular season table pre-pandemic.

Like many business owners, Cal, who runs two hostelries in Dunbar with his family, has found things tough at times over the last 17 months or so, but the business side of things is now getting back to ‘normal’ and he is also enjoying having competitive rugby back.

In the first three FOSROC Super6 2021 fixtures he has shared the vice-captaincy duties with fellow hooker Ross Graham as they have backed up skippers Lee Millar and Jamie Forbes and he is a big part of the leadership group.

And Cal - who has played for his local club Dunbar, Haddington, Boroughmuir and Coastal Rugby in Taranaki, New Zealand, previously - has played a big part, either starting or off the bench, in the wins over the Ayrshire Bulls, Stirling County and the Boroughmuir Bears.

“Back in mid-2019 I wasn’t too sure where my rugby was going next as I had other commitments to think about too, but I still knew I wanted to play at a good level and when Fergus got in touch it captured my interest,” Cal, now 28, explains.

“I headed along to Super6 training and really enjoyed it, but I didn’t expect to play too much with Crumbs [Ross Graham] and two other hookers [Campbell Wilson and Rory Jackson] in the squad.

“However, as the season got started Crumbs was injured and as things transpired I ended up playing a lot of minutes and really enjoying it.

“The squad environment that we had back in that season was great while it was good to be playing really competitive matches week in and week out at a level above the Premiership.

“The last year and a bit has been a bit strange for everyone, but we kept things ticking over in training and although there has been quite a turnover in the squad, the environment has stayed the same and we all push each other on.”

One big plus for ‘Sonians in the three wins to date has been the impact the bench has made.

And having options like Harrison Courtney, Matias Sonzigni Argiro, Cal himself, Ross Graham, Steven Longwell, Angus Williams, Sam Grahamslaw - when he is released by Edinburgh Rugby like last week - and Campbell Wilson, Thomas Jeffrey and FOSROC Academy player Cole Lamberton in the front-row is certainly a bonus.

“We see in all levels of rugby now just how important the bench is and as a front-rower, whether you are starting or coming on later, you know that you can make an impact on games and I think we have built up good combinations in that area,” Cal adds.

“With someone like Lee Millar getting injured it has also been pleasing to see someone like Marc Morrison at stand-off - as well as Dom Coetzer at 12 - come in and hit the ground running.

“The fixtures come thick and fast for now and the great thing about this league is that all the teams are fairly well matched.

“Heriot’s defeated Stirling last week and on their own patch are dangerous, so we will have to be at our best to get a positive result on Saturday.”

Words by Gary Heatly

Image by Graham Gaw, more here

The Super6 squad are away at Heriot’s on Saturday (3pm), tickets here, pre-match lunch here