Post by Jamie Crawford on Oct 3, 2022 10:39:39 GMT
Bedford Blues preview
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Round 5, Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues, Castle Park on Saturday 8th October. KO 2.30
Bedford Blues RFC
Bedford is one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The Blues are a semi-pro team, with a mix of experienced and young players.
The Blues are third in the Championship after winning three games and losing one.
The Knights are fifth and have both won and lost two games.
The Blues’ Championship campaign began with a 26-18 away defeat to Coventry, they rectified the loss with a 49-36 home win against London Scottish the following week. Then the Blues had a notable 21-41 four-try, bonus point win against the Pirates in Cornwall.
New Signings
Josh Gillespie, Winger from Northampton Saints
Michael Le Bourgeois, Utility Back from Wasps
Jac Arthur Back Row from Ampthill
Charlie Ryland Flanker from Cardiff Metropolitan University
Monty Royston Prop from Durham University
Seán French Utility Back from Munster
Recent head to head performances
05/02/22 Knights 24-0 Blues
01/10/21 Blues 31-23 Knights
02/05/21 Knights 27-19 Blues
29/02/20 Blues 29-5 Knights
02/11/19 Knights 22-18 Blues
The last five encounters have been won by the home team. You must look back to November 2017 for the home team not to win, the Knights and the Blues drew 25 all at Castle Park on that day.
Last time out
The Blues welcomed Caldy and put them to the sword with an eight-try 52-29 win. Blues’ Left Winger Dean Adamson scored a brace of tries, Right Winger and their longest serving current player Pat Tapley dotted down. 2nd Row Ed Taylor and Centre Ethan Grayson also scored. Scrum Half Jake Garside similarly scored two tries and replacement Scrum Half Alex Day scored their final try.
The Knights were frustrated with their opposition and the weather not allowing them to play their expansive game plan and lost 30-15 to Nottingham at their Lady Bay home. It was downhill after a promising start from the Knights. John Kelly crashed over at the base of the post after five minutes. In the second half, Centre Robbie Smith fed Winger George Simpson who had a clear path in front of him on the wing and ran in the try. I think it’s fair to say that the Knights will not be happy with their performance, chalk it down as ‘a bad day at the office’ and look to perform excellently on Saturday against Bedford at Castle Park.
Bedford danger men
Will Maisey was named as the Fly Half in last season’s Championship Team of the Season. With 55 points to his name, Maisey is easily the highest points-scorer this season. The Knights’ Sam Olver is third after scoring 23 points fewer.
Blues Winger Dean Adamson is the equal second top try-scorer in the Championship, Scrum Half Alex Day is the fifth top and Scrum Half Jake Garside is equal-seventh. Blues’ Scrum Halves have scored seven tries over four games, more than the Championship’s top try-scorer. The Knights need to be wary of a Scrum Half darting over the line from behind a strong Bedford scrum/lineout/ruck/maul.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Blues have scored more points than any team in the Championship (53 more than the Knights or 13.25/game) and scored more points away from home than the Knights have scored at Castle Park. Only the Blues and Ealing Trailfinders have scored three bonus points from scoring four tries or more in their first four games. They have scored 21 tries, just two less than top try-scorers Jersey Reds. The Knights have scored six tries fewer than the Blues.
The Blues know how to score but their defence isn’t as strong, they have conceded the seventh fewest points, thirteen more points (3.25/game) than the Knights in fifth. The Blues have conceded 18 tries compared to the Knights’ 13 and 12 more than strongest defensive side, Ealing Trailfinders’ six.
The rest of the Championship this Saturday
Caldy (10) v Jersey Reds (2)
Cornish Pirates (7) v Ampthill (9)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Richmond (8)
Hartpury Uni (11) v Nottingham (4)
London Scottish (12) v Coventry (6)
The Knights are fifth, a Knight win on Saturday would most likely keep them fifth but in the fight for a higher position. To rise to fourth Nottingham must lose and the Knights points’ difference must be 33 higher than theirs on Saturday late afternoon!
A Bedford win could see the Knights drop to eleventh if all teams below them win plus Hartpury needs a winning bonus point. Only London Scottish couldn’t overtake the Knights this weekend. It sounds negative but this will only be the fifth game.
The club announced the signing of Prop Jake Pope just before the Nottingham game last Friday. Jake played for the Knights for a spell in 2017 but arrives full time from Sale Sharks. Jake teams up with another Prop called Jake (Armstrong) for about three weeks left of a month-long loan
On 29th September the club announced another new full time signing; Lock Evan Mintern from All Ireland League side, Cork Constitution.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 5, Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues, Castle Park on Saturday 8th October. KO 2.30
Bedford Blues RFC
Bedford is one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The Blues are a semi-pro team, with a mix of experienced and young players.
The Blues are third in the Championship after winning three games and losing one.
The Knights are fifth and have both won and lost two games.
The Blues’ Championship campaign began with a 26-18 away defeat to Coventry, they rectified the loss with a 49-36 home win against London Scottish the following week. Then the Blues had a notable 21-41 four-try, bonus point win against the Pirates in Cornwall.
New Signings
Josh Gillespie, Winger from Northampton Saints
Michael Le Bourgeois, Utility Back from Wasps
Jac Arthur Back Row from Ampthill
Charlie Ryland Flanker from Cardiff Metropolitan University
Monty Royston Prop from Durham University
Seán French Utility Back from Munster
Recent head to head performances
05/02/22 Knights 24-0 Blues
01/10/21 Blues 31-23 Knights
02/05/21 Knights 27-19 Blues
29/02/20 Blues 29-5 Knights
02/11/19 Knights 22-18 Blues
The last five encounters have been won by the home team. You must look back to November 2017 for the home team not to win, the Knights and the Blues drew 25 all at Castle Park on that day.
Last time out
The Blues welcomed Caldy and put them to the sword with an eight-try 52-29 win. Blues’ Left Winger Dean Adamson scored a brace of tries, Right Winger and their longest serving current player Pat Tapley dotted down. 2nd Row Ed Taylor and Centre Ethan Grayson also scored. Scrum Half Jake Garside similarly scored two tries and replacement Scrum Half Alex Day scored their final try.
The Knights were frustrated with their opposition and the weather not allowing them to play their expansive game plan and lost 30-15 to Nottingham at their Lady Bay home. It was downhill after a promising start from the Knights. John Kelly crashed over at the base of the post after five minutes. In the second half, Centre Robbie Smith fed Winger George Simpson who had a clear path in front of him on the wing and ran in the try. I think it’s fair to say that the Knights will not be happy with their performance, chalk it down as ‘a bad day at the office’ and look to perform excellently on Saturday against Bedford at Castle Park.
Bedford danger men
Will Maisey was named as the Fly Half in last season’s Championship Team of the Season. With 55 points to his name, Maisey is easily the highest points-scorer this season. The Knights’ Sam Olver is third after scoring 23 points fewer.
Blues Winger Dean Adamson is the equal second top try-scorer in the Championship, Scrum Half Alex Day is the fifth top and Scrum Half Jake Garside is equal-seventh. Blues’ Scrum Halves have scored seven tries over four games, more than the Championship’s top try-scorer. The Knights need to be wary of a Scrum Half darting over the line from behind a strong Bedford scrum/lineout/ruck/maul.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Blues have scored more points than any team in the Championship (53 more than the Knights or 13.25/game) and scored more points away from home than the Knights have scored at Castle Park. Only the Blues and Ealing Trailfinders have scored three bonus points from scoring four tries or more in their first four games. They have scored 21 tries, just two less than top try-scorers Jersey Reds. The Knights have scored six tries fewer than the Blues.
The Blues know how to score but their defence isn’t as strong, they have conceded the seventh fewest points, thirteen more points (3.25/game) than the Knights in fifth. The Blues have conceded 18 tries compared to the Knights’ 13 and 12 more than strongest defensive side, Ealing Trailfinders’ six.
The rest of the Championship this Saturday
Caldy (10) v Jersey Reds (2)
Cornish Pirates (7) v Ampthill (9)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Richmond (8)
Hartpury Uni (11) v Nottingham (4)
London Scottish (12) v Coventry (6)
The Knights are fifth, a Knight win on Saturday would most likely keep them fifth but in the fight for a higher position. To rise to fourth Nottingham must lose and the Knights points’ difference must be 33 higher than theirs on Saturday late afternoon!
A Bedford win could see the Knights drop to eleventh if all teams below them win plus Hartpury needs a winning bonus point. Only London Scottish couldn’t overtake the Knights this weekend. It sounds negative but this will only be the fifth game.
The club announced the signing of Prop Jake Pope just before the Nottingham game last Friday. Jake played for the Knights for a spell in 2017 but arrives full time from Sale Sharks. Jake teams up with another Prop called Jake (Armstrong) for about three weeks left of a month-long loan
On 29th September the club announced another new full time signing; Lock Evan Mintern from All Ireland League side, Cork Constitution.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
