1st XV News

The Former Players Association of Bedford Blues Rugby Club will be coming together before the game against Plymouth Albion on Saturday afternoon to remember two players who tragically lost their lives as a result of the Paris Air Disaster 40 years ago.
 
On 3rd March 1974, Brian Arthur – a prop who made 125 appearances between 1966 and 1972 - and Peter Green - a centre three-quarter who appeared 166 times in a Blues shirt between 1967 and 1974 - lost their lives when the Turkish Airlines DC10 on which they were passengers, crashed near Paris just minutes after take-off, killing all 346 people on board.

Bedford Blues and Ampthill Rugby Club teamed up at Goldington Road on Tuesday night for a joint forwards training session ahead of a busy weekend for both teams.

With the Blues hosting Plymouth Albion in the Greene King IPA Championship on Saturday afternoon and Ampthill making the journey to Bristol looking to maintain their promotion push as they face the always difficult Dings Crusaders, this was an excellent opportunity to get some 'live' contact training under the belts of each pack.

Bedford slipped to their 11th defeat of their unhappy Championship season and lost at Billesley Common for the first time in nearly eight years.  Not since September 2006 have Blues left Birmingham without the spoils but in truth they were never in control of the game.

Tries from Paul Tupai and Pat Tapley were all they had to show for their efforts against a redoubtable home team that has not lost at Billesley Common in three months.  The Moseley scrum set their stall out early as Nic Auterac and Phil Boulton struggled for parity and even though the Blues mauling game was good, it wasn’t decisive.

Bedford Blues are in for a treat this week as they finally get to run out for a game of rugby following two postponements in a row.

The Blues were set to face Ealing Trailfinders first on Valentine's Day and then the following Saturday but rotten weather and an unplayable pitch means that when Bedford face Moseley it will be their first game since 8th February.

Bedford head into the game as underdogs and felt the full force of an impressive Moseley performance when the Midlanders comfortably beat the Blues back in November.

Bedford Blues have bolstered their second row options with the capture of England Under 20s lock Harry Wells on loan from Leicester Tigers.

The Blues had been dealt a blow with the news that Ben Gulliver could face a number of weeks on the side lines after injuring his neck but have moved swiftly to bring in the 20 year old lock who has been playing at Loughborough before switching to Bedford.