Bedford Blues are pleased to announce that two more members of the current squad have put pen to paper on new deals to remain at the club for the coming campaign.

Agreeing new deals for the 2019/20 Championship season are USA international fly half Will Hooley and 24 year old hooker Jacob Fields.

Speaking about the re-signings, Blues Director of Rugby Mike Rayer said: “Will and Jacob are both key members of the Bedford Blues squad who have both continued to develop superbly since arriving at Goldington Road.

“Will is an outstanding fly half who has taken the opportunities presented to him and is in line to be part of the USA squad heading to Japan for the 2019 World Cup. That has come about because of his hard work and commitment at the Blues and I’m really pleased that we’ll be seeing even more of that next season.

“Jacob has come on leaps and bounds since joining us from Loughborough Students and he continues to get better every week. He’s a confident young man you has all the attributes that you’d want in a hooker, he gives 100% every time he takes to the field and he never takes a backward step. He’s the sort of lad that you want in your squad and it is great that he’s committed to another campaign.”

Cambridge born Hooley, 25,  is a former England Under 20 international who came through the Academy system at Northampton Saints before going on to make 14 first team appearances and scoring 77 points.

It was this, along with a successful dual-registration with Birmingham Moseley, that attracted the Exeter Chiefs and Hooley was brought in to provide top quality competition for the No.10 role alongside Gareth Steenson and Henry Slade. He made his debut for the Chiefs against Clermont Auvergne in the 2015 Champions Cup and most recently featured in the Chiefs 36-14 Premiership win over Newcastle Falcons.

Things have only got better for Hooley at Goldington Road though as his fine performances caught the eye of USA Rugby - Will's grandmother grew up in Hollywood - and he earned his first cap in 2018. Hooley was also part of the historic USA team which beat Scotland 30-29 to earn America their first ever win over a major rugby nation.

Fields, 24, has been a true warrior for Bedford Blues ever since he joined the club at the end of the 2015/16 Championship season.

While the former Loughborough Student was all set to arrive at Goldington Road at the start of the 2016/17 campaign, Fields - who came through the Bath Academy - joined Bedford early due to an injury crisis and emerged himself into squad from the get go.

Having been lucky enough to be coached by George Chuter at Loughborough, Fields certainly picked up many traits of the former England man and throws himself full force into every game in a Blues shirt and has gone on to make 59 appearances for Bedford scoring seven tries along the way.

Will and Jacob join the growing numbers at Goldington Road for the coming season alongside new signings Joe Atkinson (Wasps), Scott Jenkins (Scarlets), Dan Temm (Yorkshire Carnegie) and Matt Worley (Northampton Saints) while Will Carrick-Smith, Ed Taylor, Josh Buggea, Dean Adamson, Oli Curry, Lewis Robling, James Lennon, Ryan Hutler, Rich Lane, Alex Penny and Sean McCarthy have all agreed new deals to remain at the club.