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TEAM NEWS | Squad named for Hartpury trip
Mike Rayer has named his squad as Bedford Blues prepare to conclude January with the journey to Hartpury University tomorrow afternoon (KO 2:30pm).
Still chance to support the boys in Gloucestershire with tickets available here; or watch the game from the comfort of home via Clubber TV.
Always an entertaining affair between two sides with attacking intent, it was certainly a close encounter of the rugby kind back in October at Goldington Road, with Bedford only securing victory with the final passage of play on their famous annual staging of Ladies Day.
For the third successive fixture, Blues will face another side currently occupying a play-off position, with Hartpury’s impressive victory at Worcester Warriors last weekend lifting them to fourth in the table. Blues stayed second with victory over Coventry.
For the game, which has averaged a sharing of 55 points since a first meeting in 2017, Rayer has been forced into a number of changes across his matchday squad.
It represents three changes to the Starting XV with Joe Hill selected on the left wing, Kayde Sylvester coming in at openside flanker amid a back row re-shuffle, and Ilan Evans’ inclusion at second row.
Among the replacements, Blues are set to hand a club debut to James Bennett (Blues Brother #3858), who has headed across on dual registration from Northampton Saints in recent weeks.
Blues duo Dean Adamson and Tui Uru have been in light training this week, but are not risked tomorrow with a hectic run of fixtures on the way. Elsewhere, Archie Hosking has headed on loan to Rosslyn Park to get some regular minutes as part of his return from injury.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. George Worth, 13. Lucas Titherington, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Joe Hill, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Jamie Jack, 2. James Fish, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. Ilan Evans, 5. Alex Woolford, 6. Fyn Brown, 7. Kayde Sylvester, 8. Fred Tuilagi
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Tommy Herman, 17. Joey Conway, 18. Monty Royston, 19. James Bennett (Blues Brother #3858), 20. Archie Appleby, 21. Nicholas Finch, 22. James Lennon, 23. Tom Price
Unavailable for selection this week:
Rory Ward, Tui Uru, Ryan Hutler, Dean Adamson, Rafe Witheat
