1st XV News

Saturday 19th April, 2014. It will be one of those ‘where were you?’ questions for Bedford Blues fans (and a few Pirates ones) when we look back thinking – Do you remember when 39 and half year old Paul Tupai became the oldest Championship player to score a hat-trick?

Yes, you read that right. Toops – who turns 40 in September – racked up an impressive three tries in this exhilarating game which went one way and then the other with 14 tries being scored in total. Scores also came for Nick Auerac, Joe Vandermolen, Tony Fenner, Patrick Tapley and TJ Harris as the Blues reminded the 2365 inside Goldingotn Road that they still love to run the ball in a game of rugby.

Bedford Blues squad for the 2014/15 Greene King IPA Championship season continues to take shape after Director of Rugby Mike Rayer confirmed the signing of three new players and the recapture of Jake Sharp.
 
The Blues have strengthened their front row options with the signing of Billy Moss from London Welsh while the second row is bolstered with the capture of Harry Wells from Leicester and Justin Blanchet from Exeter Chiefs adds extra spice to the back row.
 

Bedford came up short away at London Scottish on Sunday as the hosts fought back to claim a 19-15 victory at the Richmond Athletic Ground. The IPA Championship clash didn’t produce the free flowing rugby expected in the glorious capital sunshine and the Blues were ultimately left to rue missed chances. Despite scores through Patrick Tapley and Brendan Burke, plus a penalty and conversion from James Pritchard, the Exiles punished the Blues’ failed opportunities. James Buckland’s men registered three tries through Adam Kwasnicki, Sam Stuart and Mark Bright, and two conversions for Lee Millar.

Bedford Blues head to Richmond Athletic Ground on Sunday afternoon fully refreshed and raring to finish the season on a high.

With just three games remaining in the Greene King IPA Championship season, the Blues are looking to put in a trio of good performances before heading into a longer than normal summer break.

Bedford will be without second row duo Mike Howard, who suffered an ankle injury during the Blues last game against Rotherham, and Harry Wells, who is needed by parent club Leicester Tigers this weekend while Mike Le Bourgeois also misses out with an Acromioclavicular Joint injury.

Twickenham beckons as Bedford Blues fans get half-time shot at glory

Bedford Blues fans are being offered a once in a lifetime chance to kick for glory and play for their beloved club at Twickenham, thanks to the title sponsor of the new  Greene King IPA Championship.

The competition will see five lucky winners live out their ultimate rugby moment by each taking a half time kick at goal during the Blues’ home match with Cornish Pirates on 19 April.

Bedford Blues chairman Geoff Irvine has today confirmed that the club's Chief Executive Andy Irvine is leaving his role at the club at the end of the season. Following a meeting this morning (Apr 8) when the staff were informed of the decision, Geoff Irvine said: "Andy has done a fantastic job at Goldington Road over the past eight years but we feel that the time is right to move on to a new challenge and we all wish him well for the future."

The squad building process for the 2014/15 season continued this week as Bedford Blues signed another exciting young winger as well as securing the services of three more of the current squad.

Dean Adamson, 21, has been in superb form for Ampthill Rugby Club this season and is the most prolific try scorer in National Two South with 22 under his belt. The youngster, who came through the Blues Academy, was on trial with Bedford last summer featuring in the pre-season friendlies before heading back to Dillingham Park.

There was to be no delight in front of the Sky Sports cameras as they went down 12-33 to Rotherham Titans in the unusual 5pm kick off slot on Saturday evening.

The match will mostly be remembered for four yellow cards – three of them decided by TMO Graham Hughes – rather than the rugby but the Blues will be kicking themselves for leaving a whole host of tries out on the field. Accidental offside and handling errors ultimately cost Bedford three scoring chances whereas Rotherham crossed the white three times to seal the win.

Bedford Blues stars Darryl Veenendaal, Gregor Gillanders, Mike Le Bourgeois and Darren Fearn took time out from training last week to lend a hand at Polam School to help the children with a 30 minute exercise routine to raise money for Sport Relief.

The children at the school all dressed up in their favourite sports kit for the event so there was a huge mix of costume from ballerinas through to rugby players and undertook the routine to help add funds to the whopping £53,370,743 that has been raised so far.

Bedford Blues shareholders took their places in the Scrum Bar on Wednesday evening to listen to the latest from the Board at the Annual Group Meeting.

Results may not have turned out quite the way that fans, players, coaches and the directors would have wanted this season, but there remains an air of optimism within the club and shareholders remained extremely positive with a wide range of topics being discussed.