Bedford Blues are on the verge of confirming second place in the Championship after scoring 11 more tries in dismantling bottom side Cambridge 73-15 on Saturday; their 15th victory in 20 league fixtures this season.
Dean Adamson now leads the Championship’s try scoring charts after four more tries, alongside a brace for Lucas Titherington and Louis James plus tries for Jamie Jack, Matt Worley and James Lennon, confirming another huge scoreline for the Blues.
In a second consecutive double header for the Women and the Men at Ellgia Fields after last season’s success, the Blues’ Women kicked things off with a tight yet entertaining 31-26 victory against their Cambridge counterparts.
Claire Hawes’ late try was the match winner, as Alivia Usher-Harris and Sasha Fensom also found the whitewash before the Men took to the stage and continued their recent try fest in ruthless fashion.
150 up for Adamson
Dean Adamson has recently overtaken Derek Wyatt to become Bedford Blues’ all-time leading try scorer, and now with the shackles off, the winger continues to streak clear, scoring four more tries on Saturday afternoon.
Read: Adamson breaks try record as Bedford Blues trounce London Scottish
The final scoreline of this encounter may suggest it was a romp for the Blues, but in truth the clash was finely poised well into the second half before Mike Rayer’s men stepped on the gas and overwhelmed their near neighbours.
Bedford struck first after just four minutes; a quick tap penalty catching the home side unawares as Lucas Titherington strolled under the posts, before Jamie Jack doubled the try count finishing off a crushing run forward from Fred Tuilagi.
Josh Skelcey hit back for Cambridge for the first of their two tries before Luke Frost was sent to the sin-bin and Sam Hanks restored parity shortly after, leaving the scoreline at 12-12.
The Blues went into the break in front however, thanks in large to Eli Caven who dropped a high ball straight into the path of Adamson who was able to bundle over the try line for the first of his four tries in another golden afternoon for the winger.
With the bonus point tied up before half-time, thanks to a smart dummy from Louis James, the Blues were in control at 26-15 although few would have expected the blitz that was to follow.
Seven second half tries
Cambridge would have come out for the second half thinking they were still in the game, and in with a chance of causing an upset but that narrative was dispelled from the 50-minute mark as the Blues found a new gear that Cambridge were unable to cope with.
Louis James scored his second after patient build-up play, before Matt Worley collected a cute grubber kick from captain, Alex Day to score Bedford’s sixth try, shortly followed by a second for Adamson.
A quick lineout then allowed James Lennon to scamper through for a score, shortly after replacing Day at scrum half, before Titherington became the third player to leave himself on a hat-trick.
Adamson was the one to get there first as another kick forward bounced kindly into his hands to sprint in his third, shortly followed by his fourth amidst a crumbling Cambridge defence to secure an eye-watering winning margin of 73-15.
Those final four tries came inside the final ten minutes, leaving Cambridge nine points adrift at the bottom of the Championship table, although they won’t face relegation this season before the new competition rules hit next season.
Read: RFU announce revamped ‘Champ Rugby’ competition but promotion criteria remain
For the Blues, they are now a mere couple of points away from their first runners-up finish in a Championship campaign in 13 years ahead of two final fixtures against Chinnor at Goldington Road on Saturday (24 May) and a trip to Caldy on the final weekend.
“We weren’t quite there first half, a lot of credit to Cambridge for that”, said Director of Rugby, Mike Rayer. “They challenged us there and scored a couple of tries themselves but that being said, we got our game together [in the] second half”.
“We had to go deep to break them, loaded the bench with six forwards and that proved a big difference in the second half. We also made our own luck at times.
“If you give our backs the space, they can punish you so it was good to get the ball in their hands and get some tries in”, he added.
Ealing were confirmed as champions for the third time in the last four seasons with a 34-7 away victory at Caldy, while Cornish Pirates continue their late surge, jumping up to third with a 38-33 win against Ampthill.
Doncaster Knights leapfrogged Hartpury into fourth with a 41-35 triumph on Sunday, while Coventry – a side who were league leaders after 8 games – are still sixth despite a comfortable 67-5 victory against Nottingham.
London Scottish beat Chinnor 24-19 in the division’s other encounter.
Bedford Blues return to Goldington Road this Saturday (24 May) to welcome Chinnor for the first time, knowing just two points will secure an excellent runner-up spot, although in this form, the Blues fans will be hungry for more tries.
