Bedford Blues suffered back-to-back defeats in the opening two weekends of Champ Rugby for the second consecutive season as they succumbed to a 52-33 loss against Chinnor on Saturday (26 September).
Chinnor’s eight tries were too much for a Bedford side who are bottom of the league after two rounds of Champ Rugby following an abject showing on home turf at a sunny Goldington Road.
The Blues were looking to bounce back from an opening day defeat at reigning champions, Worcester Warriors in which a disappointing showing saw them largely outclassed in a 40-5 defeat at the Sixways.
Read: Bedford Blues lose Champ Rugby opener at Worcester
Arriving at Goldington Road were Chinnor, who are facing their own tough start to the league campaign following a first weekend loss at perennial favourites, Ealing as they look to improve on last season’s impressive play-off quarter final berth.
Nick Easter’s side have been a considerable challenge since their ascension to the Champ in 2024, last adorning the Goldington Road turf in May, where they fell 30-28 to the Blues as Mike Rayer’s men confirmed a home play-off semi-final.
The atmosphere was considerably more downbeat at full-time on this occasion, as Chinnor soared clear to kick start their Champ Rugby campaign with a prized Goldington Road triumph.
Chinnor deservedly lead at the break
Despite heading up the slope on a warm Saturday afternoon, Chinnor had the best of a yo-yo first half, with an early reward for their enterprise coming with the game’s opening try after just three minutes.
A break clear from winger, Jack Metcalf created the opportunity, and a penalty plus a line out later saw the rolling maul used to excellent effect, with Alun Walker completing the finishing touches for a first of an eventual hat-trick for the hooker.
Bedford almost hit back immediately as Saints loanee, Jonny Weimann saw his cute grubber kick miss his target by inches, but by nine minutes, the Blues were on the board.
It came in similar fashion to Chinnor’s score as the Blues’ own rolling maul saw Tommy Herman touch down, with Maisey adding the extras to put Bedford 7-5 in front.
One consistent theme however was the penalty count, with stand-in Blues captain, Michael Le Bourgeois spoken to about his team’s indiscipline, and it would begin to cost the Blues as the first half wore on.
And while the Blues battled back against the latest Chinnor rolling maul, they were behind again after 18 minutes as Tom Watson broke through a tackle to race clear to the try line.
The Bedford response was again swift; the ball working its way out right, with Dean Adamson diving over for a 100th career try at Goldington Road, but Chinnor were ahead just a minute later as Metcalf waltzed into the opposite corner.
The yo-yo nature of the encounter was perhaps indicative of early season rustiness, but as the first half progressed, Chinnor exerted more control, and they stamped their authority with two scores inside the final four minutes of the half.
A wayward pass from Jonny Weimann left Caqusau with a challenge to collect, and his inevitable spill allowed an orange shirt to race clear.
With Metcalf again involved, the ball eventually found the hands of Ben Currie who just about touched down by the corner flag, and when Walker scored his second with the final act of the half, Chinnor found themselves 31-14 ahead at the break.
Chinnor soar clear
The Blues’ penalty count continued to rise at the start of the second half, and it led to Chinnor’s sixth try after 45 minutes.
It came in scrappy fashion from Will Cave, but again, the Blues responded with a try of their own as Ilan Evans broke clear, feeding Lucas Titherington to keep Bedford in touch at 19-38.
It was Evans’ final act, but his replacement, James Bennett broke through a tackle with his first contribution, dotting down under the posts and injecting an air of brief belief around Goldington Road with the Blues 12 points behind.
Brief, because the penalties against the hosts were mounting.
Fred Tuilagi was sin-binned in amongst the latest string of penalties awarded to Chinnor, and the visitors capitalised immediately as Alun Walker secured a hat-trick to take his team’s try count to seven.
With a 19-point deficit to overturn on the hour mark, the challenge for the Blues was a considerable one, but the game was effectively put to bed when full back, Richie Simpson was handed the easiest of Chinnor’s eight scores to bring up a half century of points.
The Goldington Road crowd, who at one point had started to think a famous comeback was on the cards, turned from encouragement to hostility, believing the referee had given the Blues a number of harsh decisions.
But in truth, Chinnor had overpowered the Blues, and despite an occasional straying towards the edge of sportsmanship, Nick Easter’s side were fully deserving of a famous win on a ground they had never won before.
James Lennon scored a consolation try as the clock ticked over 80 minutes, but it did little to paper over what was a disappointing afternoon for the Blues, who have now conceded 92 points in their opening two games.
However, a slither of a silver lining can be taken from the fact the Blues also lost their opening two games last season, only to go on to reach the play-off final.
A high-scoring afternoon
Chinnor’s heavy win was part of a high-scoring afternoon of Champ Rugby, which saw both Worcester and Coventry score over 70 points.
Worcester smashed Champ Rugby newcomers, Rotherham Titans 78-12 in the early kick off, while Coventry saw off Cornish Pirates 73-40 in the Midlands.
Ampthill also have two wins from two after a 33-28 home win against Nottingham, while Caldy were narrow winners at Blackheath on Friday night.
Ealing against Richmond and Doncaster versus Hartpury take place on Sunday.
The Blues will hope to get on the board as they travel to Clifton Lane to face Rotherham Titans next Saturday (3 October), before returning to Goldington Road the following week as Cornish Pirates come to town.
