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2022/23 | A season in statistics
A Top Four finish in the 22/23 Championship table ensured it was an extremely positive campaign for Mike Rayer and his side as they again showcased more rugby for the ages and made it a thoroughly enjoyable spell watching the team.
There were memorable moments throughout, and not just in victory, with a thrilling success on Boxing Day in-front of a sell-out audience, a first ever trip to Caldy, Ladies Day and much more to name but a few.
As we prepare to bring the curtain down and start turning our attentions to next season already, read some of the Bedford statistics you may have missed during the campaign…
Club Statistics
Throughout the 2022/23 Championship campaign, a total of 29 competitive Bedford Blues matches were played. Mike Rayer’s side won on 15 occasions, while suffering 13 defeats and a classic draw against Doncaster. Further highlights included home and away victories over Cornish Pirates and spending nearly the entire season unbeaten at Goldington Road.
Across the campaign, Bedford Blues scored a grand total of 128 tries, third only to Ealing Trailfinders and Jersey Reds. Included within that are 12 Try of the Week wins – more than all the other Championship teams combined and a record in second-tier history – as Blues again scored more tries for the ages when showcasing edge of your seat action.
A total of 65 players made one or more competitive appearance for Bedford Blues throughout their exploits, including 30 debutants. There were four former Junior Blues involved – all born in Bedfordshire as Rich Lane, Tom Litchfield, Jamie Elliott and Dean Adamson all featured. Local lad Charles Rylands continues the Bedfordshire connection through his Olney links.
After performing better on the road across a season for the first time in Rayer’s tenure last year, Blues managed to turn Goldington Road back into the fortress of old and headed into the final month of the campaign still unbeaten at home.
Displaying the free flowing, attacking hallmarks of a Rayer side again in 2022/23; Blues secured a try bonus point in 18 fixtures, the fourth best in the division behind the three to finish above them in the league table.
Most Appearances
A total of 15 players played 20 or more matches across the 2022/23 campaign. Interestingly, no player featured in every game across all competitions.
28 – Alex Day, Jack Hughes; 27 – Sean French; 26 – Will Maisey, Robin Williams; 25 – Louis Grimoldby, Tui Uru; 23 – Dean Adamson, Corrie Barrett, Joey Conway, Luke Frost, Jake Garside, Michael Le Bourgeois, Charles Rylands; 20 – Monty Royston
Most Minutes on the Field
A player could have played a maximum of 2,320 minutes in the 22/23 campaign and you’d estimate Luke Frost – who featured the most across the season – wouldn’t have been too far away if he hadn’t missed the first few games of the campaign with concussion.
Luke Frost – 1840; Dean Adamson – 1813; Sean French – 1810; Tui Uru – 1723; Robin Williams – 1720; Alex Day – 1635; Will Maisey - 1634
Tries
20 – Sean French; 13 – Dean Adamson; 11 – Jake Garside; 8 – Alex Day, Matt Worley
Top Points Scorers
212 – Will Maisey tops the charts for Blues in 2022/23 and finished as the Championship’s leading marksman across league fixtures only.
107 – As well as an impressive haul of tries in his debut season, Sean French also chipped in with a crucial couple of kicks.
Notable Appearance Milestones
150 – In the season he also became fifth greatest try scorer in club history (115 tries), Dean Adamson also surpassed a big appearance milestone and is the most capped player currently on the books.
100 – Two players who have had big parts to play at the club for many years now, Jacob Fields and Rich Lane ascended into the century club during the season.
50 – The quartet of Alex Day, Jack Hughes, Will Maisey and Tui Uru hit the first big appearance milestone this year.
