News
2021 | A Year in Numbers
It has been another strange year but 2021 has seen the return of Championship action and more exciting attacking rugby at Goldington Road.
It seems strange to think the year started with behind-closed-doors matches and live streams, to concluding 2021 in the perfect manner with a sell-out victory over Jersey Reds on Boxing Day.
Another unique year has concluded with an even brighter light shining on England’s second tier and we hope for an even more normal calendar year of 2022.
Here, read some of the Bedford statistics you may have missed throughout 2021…
Club Statistics
Across 2021, a total of 21 competitive Bedford Blues matches were played. Mike Rayer’s side won on nine occasions, while suffering 12 defeats. Highlights included victory in the Battle of Bedfordshire when spectators finally returned in May, and some attritional wins on the road including at Hartpury University in October.
A total of 73 tries were scored, split down to 28 in the truncated campaign and 45 currently dotted down in the 2021/22 Championship campaign. There have been 11 Try of the Week wins – the most of any side – and more tries for the ages as Blues continue to showcase edge of your seat action.
Throughout 2021, a total of 57 players made one or more competitive appearance for Bedford Blues, including 40 debutants. There were five former Blues academy graduates involved – including four born in Bedford – as captain Rich Lane, Tom Litchfield, Jamie Elliott, Dean Adamson and Rob Hardwick all featured.
Most Appearances
21 – The trio of Joe Atkinson, Will Maisey and Rich Lane played in every game, with Lane also starting every time and playing every minute available.
20 – Tui Uru
19 – Ed Prowse
17 – Matt Worley, Pat Tapley
Most Tries
11 – Pat Tapley
7 – Dean Adamson, Matt Worley
6 – Rich Lane
4 – Jack Hughes, Josh Gillespie
3 – Jamie Elliott, Tui Uru, Jacob Fields
Points
156 – Will Maisey tops the charts for Blues in 2021 and also ticked over 1,000 overall career points on Boxing Day.
55 – Pat Tapley
35 – Dean Adamson, Matt Worley
30 – Rich Lane
457 – The days between Bedford Blues’ defeat to Ampthill on Boxing Day 2019 at Goldington Road and their next competitive home reverse, against jersey Reds on 27th March 2021.
It is the longest unbeaten run at Goldington Road since the club’s formative years, when they went 467 days without a home defeat from the club’s first ever fixture on October 9th 1886 to defeat against H H Casten’s (Ldn) XV on January 18th 1888.
Notable Appearance Milestones
100 – Pat Tapley became the latest member of the illustrious Goldington Road century club when leading the team out against Coventry on the opening day of the truncated campaign in March.
He said: “It’s an honour to have played this many games for such a prestigious Club and it’s something I never really expected when I first joined in 2013.”
75 – Local lad and former Junior Blues Academy graduate Rich Lane made his 75th appearance during the thrilling 38-10 victory over Richmond in April, marking the occasion with the Championship’s Try of the Week. He is set to join the century club at the end of the season.
50 – Oli Curry achieved his 50th appearance in the Battle of Bedfordshire victory over Ampthill in the truncated Championship finale in May. While the result went our way, it didn’t exactly go to plan for Curry who was sent off midway through the first half.
