News

Joe Vandermolen picked up the coveted Bedford Blues Players' Player of the Season award at the Former Players Association Dinner on Friday night.

Throughout the season, Blues players had been asked at the end of each game who the stand out player was and when all of the votes were counted it was the big number eight who led the field with Nick Fenton-Wells in second place and Gloucester bound Mark Atkinson in third.

Bedford Blues have continued to add to their squad for the 2014/15 Greene King IPA Championship season by signing two new players as well as extending the stay of a front row favourite.
 
Tighthead prop Phil Boulton has signed a new 12 month contract at Goldington Road while the Blues also welcome back former centre Henry Staff from Rosslyn Park as well as clinching the signing of prop Camilo Parilli-Ocampo from Ealing Trailfinders.
 

Goldington Road was bathed in sunshine for the Blues final match of the season. Jersey were incredibly fired up as they would face relegation if they did not win, it was going to be a tough contest! The Visitors started the game with an early 3-15 lead thanks to tries by James Voss and Nick Griffiths, one successfully converted by Aaron Penberthy, also scoring the earlier penalty. Bedford are nothing if not determined, so after a few close attempts they came back with a brilliant try by Harry Wells, and a conversion by James Pritchard.

The Bedford Blues Academy said farewell and thank you to James Hinkins and Harriet Cole at the Academy End-of-Season dinner on Friday.  Hinks and Harriet are stepping down from the Academy at the end of the season.

The Blues Academy made their Annual Player Awards at their End-of-Season Dinner at Goldington Road on Friday April 25th.

Seen with Academy DIrector, Denis Ormesher, and Blues President Gareth Davies, who presented the awards, are fly half Cameron Gregory-Ring (Most Improved Player), hooker Josh Taylor (Player of the Year) and full back Scott Lyle (Young Player of the Year).  

Following the highs of last season, the current campaign has finished with the Blues tasting home defeat to Jersey who secured their own Championship status thanks to a bonus point 31-41 victory in front of 2659 fans.

It was certainly a back and forth encounter with the visitors streaking into a 3-15 lead thanks to a penalty and tries from James Voss (converted) and Nick Griffiths before a quick fire double from Harry Wells and Ollie Dodge gave Bedford the lead after James Pritchard added the extras to both. Aaron Penberthy – who kicked 21 points in total – added a penalty and then converted Drew Locke’s try to make it 17-25 at the break.

Bedford Blues will be bidding a fond farewell to two of the clubs stalwarts after Saturday's final Greene King IPA Championship game against Jersey at Goldington Road.
 
After amassing 20 years of service between them to the Blues, Sacha Harding and Brendan Burke will be saying goodbye at the end of the season as they play their final game in front of the Goldington Road faithful.
 

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.

The Blues Academy announce two new recruits to the Academy Coaching/Management team for next season.

Grant Hathaway – Backs/Skills Coach:

Grant will be joining the Academy Coaching team as one of the backs and skills coaches.

Grant works for Saracens running their HITZ programme (Premiership Rugby's award winning social inclusion programme).  He is an RFU Level 2 Coach who has a broad coaching experience including Hemel Hempstead club, Hertfordshire County, London and SE Girls, St.George’s School Harpenden, and South of England U16 Rugby League. 

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.