TEAM NEWS | Squad named for Caldy

Posted: 9th February 2024
 

Mike Rayer has named his squad as Bedford Blues look to return to winning ways when they make the trip up to Merseyside tomorrow to face Caldy (KO 2pm).

Tickets still available for the game on The Wirral; click here to buy yours and support the boys on the road.

The most recent of rivalries forged with a first meeting as little as 16 months ago, Bedford Blues and Caldy have only squared off three times before. There’s been an awful lot of drama in that timeframe, however, with 201 points scored.

After the frustrating postponement of the original fixture in December, this is the first of two meetings between the two clubs in six weeks as Bedford host the reverse fixture on Saturday 23rd March for the occasion of their highly anticipated, Ladies Day.

All previous meetings between the two sides have gone the way of the home side and Director of Rugby, Rayer has made eight changes when trying to buck that trend.  

That includes a full swap of the front row as Oisin Heffernan returns from injury absence to wear the tighthead jersey, packing down alongside Jamie Jack and Jacob Fields, who starts for the first time since September having returned with a Man of the Match performance last weekend.

Further back; the trio of Tom Lockett, Jac Arthur and Cameron King are also back within the Starting XV as Rayer shuffles his pack this weekend.

In the backs division, Michael Le Bourgeois has passed his HIA Return to Play protocols to return and form a centre partnership with Joel Matavesi, who also comes into the side.

Among the replacements, Aston Gradwick-Light is set for his first minutes in a Blues jersey this season.

Alex Woolford and James Fish are unavailable as part of their own HIA Return to Play protocols, Jordan Onojaife remains out with a quadricep problem and Joe Howard isn’t risked this weekend following a hamstring issue.

Bedford Blues Starting XV:

15. Matt Worley, 14. Sean French, 13. Michael Le Bourgeois, 12. Joel Matavesi, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Jamie Jack, 2. Jacob Fields, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. Robin Williams, 5. Tom Lockett, 6. Luke Frost, 7. Jac Arthur, 8. Cameron King

Bedford Blues Replacements:

16. Aston Gradwick-Light, 17. Joey Conway, 18. Ed Prowse, 19. Emeka Atuanya, 20. Kieran Curran, 21. Jake Garside, 22. Louis Grimoldby, 23. Jamie Elliott