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TEAM NEWS | Squad named for Final Day battle
Mike Rayer has named his squad as Bedford Blues prepare for ‘The Last Dance’ of the 2024/25 Championship campaign with the trip to face Caldy tomorrow (KO 3pm).
While Blues wrapped up their highest league finish since 2011/12 last weekend, there will be no let ups afforded as the team look to end the campaign on a strong footing and send off all departing players on the perfect note.
The game sees Blues finish the campaign in the same fashion as they started it, against Caldy, with the journey to the Wirral to face a side who are always tricky customers on their home patch.
For the seventh meeting between the pair, Rayer makes eight changes to the Starting XV, five of which come in the forwards pack including a welcome return from injury for Jac Arthur in the back row.
The familiar front row rotation continues, while Shay Kerry and Luke Frost also come back in.
Within the backs division, James Lennon, Joel Matavesi and Alfie Garside are all restored. The duo of Dean Adamson and Will Maisey will be looking to secure individual accolades as the league’s top try scorer and marksman respectively, currently leading both charts heading into the final day.
Among the replacements, former Junior Blue now Northampton Saints youngster Aiden Ainsworth-Cave is in line for a senior Championship debut.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. Alfie Garside, 13. Lucas Titherington, 12. Joel Matavesi, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. James Lennon; 1. Jamie Jack, 2. Tommy Herman, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. Shay Kerry, 5. Alex Woolford, 6. Luke Frost, 7. Jac Arthur, 8. Joe Howard (C)
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. James Fish, 17. Joey Conway, 18 Beltus Nonleh, 19. Rory Ward, 20. Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 21. Alex Day, 22. Michael Le Bourgeois, 23. Matt Worley
Unavailable for selection this week:
Fred Tuilagi, Cameron King Jamie Elliott, Pat Tapley
