1st XV News

The Followers Summer Works programme starts tomorrow, Saturday 30th June, at Goldington Road and we need you! The preparation for the new season starts now with lots of ground tasks to support the club.

Works will include weeding, clearing vegetation, pruning, sweeping, cleaning, painting, spreading shingle and much more. Just come along on any Saturday morning between 8am and 1pm and if you can spare any small tools, gloves, garden equipment or paintbrushes please bring them along and help out.

With pre-season well underway and the opening 'friendlies' just over a month away, Bedford Blues Chairman Geoff Irvine is upbeat about the Greene King IPA Championship campaign and the dawning of a brand new cup competition.

Following last Friday’s league and cup fixtures announcement, the Blues Chairman has had time to reflect on what is sure to be an enthralling season for the Goldington Road club.

He's coming home, he's coming... Tapley's coming home!
 
Yes Blues fans, the club is delighted to announce that winger Pat Tapley will be returning to Goldington Road in time for the 2018/19 Greene King IPA Championship season.
 
The flying winger has spent the past year living and playing in Australia which included a spell alongside former Blues fly half Myles Dorrian at Warringah Rats.
 

The Greene King IPA Championship fixtures for the 2018/19 season have been announced with Bedford Blues opening their account away to Nottingham before hosting their first home game versus Jersey Reds at Goldington Road a week later.
 
The brand new Championship Cup competition sees the Blues in Pool 3 alongside Cornish Pirates, Hartpury College and London Irish. All Pool games will be played in November and December with the quarter-finals and semi-finals in February, before the final takes place in May.
 

Blues Community are pleased to announce the dates of their Summer Rugby Camp at Goldington Road for Tuesday 28th, Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th August, click here to book your place.

Open to children of all ages and abilities, the pre-season ‘Learn to Play the Blues way’ camp will be led by Head of Community Jon Phillips with current first team Blues players taking some of the sessions.

Bedford Blues are currently recruiting Community Coaches to support the development and delivery of the Blues Community Rugby programme.

Blues Community continue to work in schools, clubs and organisations across Bedfordshire and require further coaches to deliver projects ahead of the 2018/19 season.

Reporting to the Head of Community, Jon Phillips, these opportunities offer great flexibility with a variety of part-time or occasional sessions available. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bedford Blues pre-season campaign has got underway with the players being put through their paces by Head of Strength & Conditioning Jamie Bain and his team.

After a relaxing six weeks off, the Blues players met up at Goldington Road on Monday morning for official introductions and the beginning of eight weeks of training before the first pre-season fixture against Plymouth Albion on Friday 10th August at Brickfields.

Bedford Blues are delighted to announce three pre-season fixtures ahead of the 2018/19 Greene King IPA Championship campaign.

With the players returning for pre-season training on Monday morning, the Blues have confirmed a mouth-watering encounter against Premiership champions Saracens on Saturday 18th August (KO 3pm).

The match against Sarries will be the meat in the sandwich of games which include a trip to Plymouth on Friday 10th August to take on Kieran Hallet's Albion before Bishop's Stortford pay a visit to Goldington Road on Friday 24th August.

Bedford Blues are delighted to announce another addition to the squad for the 2018/19 Championship campaign with the return of second row powerhouse Mark Flanagan from Saracens.

Flanagan, 28, had a hugely impressive 2015/16 season at Goldington Road helping the Blues reach the Championship play-offs before being snapped up by the Premiership giants.

The lock soon integrated himself within the squad and made several appearances in his first season at Allianz Park, but with game time hard to come by, he made a loan switch to Munster at the start of the 2017/18 season making six appearances for the province.