1st XV News

Bedford Blues stars Darryl Veenendaal, Gregor Gillanders, Mike Le Bourgeois and Darren Fearn took time out from training last week to lend a hand at Polam School to help the children with a 30 minute exercise routine to raise money for Sport Relief.

The children at the school all dressed up in their favourite sports kit for the event so there was a huge mix of costume from ballerinas through to rugby players and undertook the routine to help add funds to the whopping £53,370,743 that has been raised so far.

Bedford Blues shareholders took their places in the Scrum Bar on Wednesday evening to listen to the latest from the Board at the Annual Group Meeting.

Results may not have turned out quite the way that fans, players, coaches and the directors would have wanted this season, but there remains an air of optimism within the club and shareholders remained extremely positive with a wide range of topics being discussed.

Bedford Blues centre Mark Atkinson will be plying his trade in the Aviva Premiership next season after agreeing a deal to play for Gloucester.

Atkinson, 24, was one of the key signings for Bedford in 2012 and helped the Blues reach the Championship play-off final in his first season with the club and has remained an influential part of the squad this term.

Bedford were hard done by as London Welsh registered five tries to run out 29-11 winners in their Green King IPA Championship clash at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on Sunday afternoon.

With only eight points in it late on, Bedford’s Tony Fenner looked to break clear for a certain try which might have changed the game, only for referee Darren Gamage to bring the Blues back for crossing.

The Exiles scored a penalty try and four further scores in total on the day, with Seb Jewell bagging a brace alongside tries from Tom May and Nick Scott, with Will Robinson converting two in windy conditions.

Having already captured Nick Fenton-Wells on a permanent deal, Bedford Blues have moved quickly to secure the services of one of the most exciting youngsters plying his trade in National League Two as well as re-signing three of the current squad.

Fullback and winger Jim Wigglesworth has joined Bedford Blues from near neighbours Cambridge where he has been a standout performer this season. The 20 year old England Counties star hails from Derbyshire and includes Hull and Nottingham as his former clubs as well as a summer season with Rugby League outfit Hull FC.