Bedford Blues’ final pre-season game ahead of the new Champ Rugby season ended in defeat, as they succumbed to a second half barrage from Prem heavyweights Bath, losing 76-33 in an entertaining affair at Goldington Road on Friday night (11 September).
Despite the flurry of second half tries for the 2024/25 Prem champions, the Blues led 26-24 at half-time with a series of flowing scores that will give Mike Rayer’s men ample confidence heading into next weekend’s Champ Rugby opener at Worcester.
The second of their two pre-season games was billed to be a far tougher affair than the procession against National One side, Cambridge three weeks ago.
Read: Bedford Blues smash Cambridge to retain Baker Brothers Cup at Goldington Road
Excellent start
The Blues scored 12 tries on that occasion, but they were put to the sword in a rampant second half from one of the strongest clubs in the country, conceding 12 tries of their own after going into half-time ahead after four excellent scores.
Sporting their new electric blue away shirts, the first third of the clash matched the description of the kit, as a fluent Bedford side opened up a 19-0 lead with three superb attacking moves.
The first was classic Blues; working it’s way through the hands out left and finding Lucas Titherington, who managed to find the corner to put Bedford ahead after just eight minutes.
Tommy Herman added the second before Louis James continued a fine pre-season with a third under the posts to put the Blues heavily in the ascendency.
Dan du Preez scored Bath’s first of the night off the back of the scrum, but the imaginary bonus point for the Blues came in the form of flanker, Charlie Ulcoq to put the Blues 26-7 ahead.
Three Bath tries in the space of the final six first half minutes helped the Prem visitors close the gap to just two points at the break, with scores from Ross Molony, Joe Cokanasiga and the first of a hat-trick for Henry Arundell.
The second half would become a more punishing affair fighting up the slope, and Bath showed their class and squad depth with eight more tries to soar clear.
Bath show quality
The Blues made seven changes at the break, but their squad rotation was nothing compared to Bath’s, who utilised a 35-man squad to their advantage, and they romped clear down the slope in the second half to eventually win comfortably.
Their second half try-scoring frenzy began in the 47th minute as Tom de Glanville dotted down in the corner before Dan Frost added his name to the scoresheet three minutes later.
Arundell added his second on 53 minutes and Ewan Richards saw clear grass to dive under the posts for Bath’s eighth score, before Arundell completed a hat-trick by the hour mark as Bath began to show their professional quality.
Jack Woods added a tenth for Bath, before the Blues got on to the second half scoreboard; replacement fly-half Ben Dufficy chipping a neat kick through to Ryan Hutler who collected with pace to dot down.
However, the game was as good as gone, and Bath continued to pile on the attack, adding an extra couple of tries to compound a tough second half for Bedford.
Bernard van de Linde and James Linegar rounded off the try scoring for the evening, completing a 76-33 victory for Bath as they look ahead to the first round of PREM Rugby at Harlequins on Friday, 25 September.
For the Blues, attention turns to competitive action of their own and the new Champ Rugby season begins with a tough assignment at reigning champions, Worcester Warriors before hosting Chinnor at Goldington Road the following weekend.
