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Irish trio re-sign for 2024/25
Bedford Blues are pleased to bolster their front row options for the 2024/25 Championship campaign with a triple re-signing as Joey Conway, Bryan O’Connor and Oisin Heffernan all continue their stays at Goldington Road.
Conway, kindly sponsored by Woburn County Foods since his arrival in Bedford in 2021, has been a mainstay in the team ever since and has made 74 appearances out of a possible 80 on offer in that timescale.
The 26-year-old was one of three players to feature in every game last season, starting 15 of the 27 competitive matches, meaning he will have a genuine opportunity of ascending into the century club if he maintains durability again in 2024/25.
A lethal try scoring threat, the Irishman has added 19 during his time at Goldington Road – ending 22/23 as the highest scoring forward and backing that up again last time out by jointly taking the accolade.
Conway will head into the new campaign as the most capped forward in the current squad.
As he prepares for a fourth season as part of the #BluesFamily, Conway said: “This is where I want to be. I love playing at Bedford, love the people, and it suits me.
"I feel at home here now. My friends and family love coming over for games which is important.
"I came here in 2021 as a young lad and I think I've grown, and come a long way since the beginning."
Heffernan, supported by Dovecote Park, joined the permanent ranks 12 months ago from Northampton Saints having previously spent some time on loan from the current Premiership champions.
He has now made 33 appearances, scoring five tries for Bedford and become an integral member of the squad. No forward at the club received more than Heffernan’s five Championship Clubs Podcast Team of the Week inclusions in the 2023/24 campaign.
A highly experienced operator at this level, Heffernan will surpass 100 Championship appearances next term having spent a couple of seasons at Nottingham before attracting the attentions of Saints. He also represented Leinster in the formative years of his senior career.
On continuing his stay, Heffernan affirmed: “The main challenge for us is to push on again next season; we've laid the foundations and we want to keep building. Retaining a large majority of the squad will help with that and I'm delighted to be staying again next season."
O’Connor, whose player sponsors are Epic Intent, was one of the fresh faces at the club a year ago having moved across from Gloucester in search of regular game time at Goldington Road.
He found that in abundance, playing in 24 matches, and providing a real healthy battle for the tighthead jersey with fellow countryman, Heffernan.
A well liked and respected member of the squad, he may have only scored one try throughout the campaign but it was a mightily important one in setting the stage for Louis Grimoldby’s drop goal heroics with a comeback score against Doncaster.
On turning things into a second season at Goldington Road, O’Connor added: “When I was moving to the club and speaking to Sean and Joey about Goldington Road, all they did was tell me how special this place is. I've still not really gotten over how passionate people are about Bedford and what a great place this is.
"It's a special thing to run out at Goldington Road and I'm delighted to be able to do that again next season."
The Irish trio join James Fish and Jamie Jack, whose re-signings were confirmed on Monday, plus local lad Tommy Herman in composing Blues’ core front row union for 2024/25. They will be complimented by young talent from Northampton Saints at times throughout the season.
Director of Rugby, Mike Rayer commented: “Both loosehead and tighthead jerseys were nip and tuck throughout the season, so we’re excited to see how that competition develops again next year.
“We will challenge all of them to show that passion and desire to claim the respective jerseys early in the season, having a real battle is only good for the team.
“Our scrum was good starting the season, but we probably did drop off a little bit as the campaign went on. With Tom Cruse coming in as Forwards Coach, we want to make improvements againand we feel like we’ve got the personnel to do that.
“We’ve got a great mix again next season.”
