Bedford Blues are delighted to announce that captain Nick Fenton-Wells and hooker Charlie Clare have been selected in the Championship XV squad to face Canada at Sixways Stadium on Sunday 2nd November.

Skipper Fenton-Wells joined the Blues permanently this season following a successful two-year loan period from Saracens and was announced as captain for the 2014/15 season having made an enormous impression in his time at Goldington Road.

The back row star is renowned for his speed, strength and physicality in open play or at the breakdown. With his leadership ability and professionalism, the South African born forward will be pushing for a starting birth in Martin Haag’s representative side.

Joining his fellow Club teammate is hooker Charlie Clare, who last season cemented a regular starting shirt, following a short stint at Jersey having graduated through the Leicester Tigers ranks. This season’s competition with Jared Saunders is bringing the best out of the Norfolk powerhouse who will bring additional physicality and weight to the front row.  

Another familiar face to Blues fans is expected to be gracing Sixways, in the form of Club record points scorer and full-back James Pritchard who is in line to be selected for Canada during their November tests.

The final Bedford connection sees former Academy player Lawrence Rayner, now with Plymouth Albion, selected as an outside-half having amassed 61 points to top the kicking table.

The Championship XV concept is reignited following its 2012 success against the Maori All Blacks. The best English qualified XV from across the league face Canada at Sixways in a showpiece game highlighting the talent on offer in the second tier, providing a unique international experience for players and spectators alike.
 
"I'm very happy with the squad we've selected” commented head coach Martin Haag.

"We wanted to spread the load among all the clubs, so that everybody is represented. I'm delighted with what we've ended up with and very excited about the players we will have – it will be a great opportunity for them to test themselves against a national team.
 
"There's a lot of size to that forward pack and quite a lot of experience as well which is great” continued Haag.

"It's a big mobile pack, so it should fit in to the way we want to play, which is getting the ball from the set piece and bringing our big runners into the game.
 
"I'd just like to thank the directors of rugby and head coaches for their help with the availability of players and everything else.
 
"It's always a difficult time to let some of your best players go and everyone has been very good to us in terms of being very encouraging and very positive.”
 
Championship XV squad

Forwards
Charlie Clare (Bedford Blues)
Darren Barry (Cornish Pirates)
James Percival (Worcester Warriors)
Lee Imiolek (Yorkshire Carnegie)
Marco Mama (Bristol Rugby)
Mark Bright (London Scottish)
Michael Holford (Nottingham Rugby)
Nick Fenton-Wells (Bedford Blues)
Ryan Bower (Worcester Warriors)
Ryan Burrows (Yorkshire Carnegie)
Tom Cruse (Rotherham Titans)
 
Additional tight-head prop and second-row to be confirmed.
 
Backs
Dan Mugford (Nottingham Rugby)
Dougie Flockhart (Doncaster Knights)
Greg King (Moseley)
Jack Tovey (Bristol Rugby)
Lawrence Rayner (Plymouth Albion)
Michael Keating (Rotherham Titans)
Miles Mantella (London Scottish)
Ryan Glynn (Jersey RFC)
Tom Kessell (Cornish Pirates)
Will Owen (Moseley)
 
Note: Due to injuries, a number of Championship players are unavailable for selection.
 
Support your club players in the Championship XV v Canada fixture at Sixways on November 2. Tickets are available online at www.warriors.co.uk, at the club's Box Office or calling by 01905 459309.