The past couple of weeks have been tough for Bedford Blues, losing out to the league’s best pair of teams in Ealing and Jersey Reds, but Mike Rayer’s side will be hoping to bounce back at home in front of another Boxing Day sell out at Goldington Road.
Standing in their way are local rivals, Ampthill, hoping to be the first side this season to beat the Blues on their home patch and they will be raring to go after not playing for two weeks thanks to the freezing conditions last weekend.
One venue that was not frozen was the Stade Santander in Jersey where the Reds comfortably saw off the Blues with a 45-5 victory that saw them go to the top of the Championship table, albeit for a single week.
Maisey and Le Bourgeois return
Mike Rayer has been boosted by the welcome return of two Blues talismen in Will Maisey and Michael Le Bourgeois, both of whom tuck straight back into a back line that also includes Northampton Saints’ George Hendy.
Osmen Dimen and Joey Conway are the two other changes in the front row in an otherwise unchanged line up from last week’s trip to the Island with Bedford Blues looking to hold on to fourth spot heading in to 2023.
One other notable inclusion is on the substitute’s bench where former Wasps forward Kieran Curran is in line to make his Blues debut.
Ampthill Head Coach, Paul Turner makes two changes to his starting line up from a 21-21 draw with Richmond a fortnight ago, with Beck Cutting and Harry Wilson returning in the pack, with his side looking to cause another upset on a ground they’ve had success at in recent years.
As is now becoming custom with Boxing Day at Goldington Road, the game sold all 5,000 tickets well in advance with a storming holiday atmosphere expected on what is sure to be a bumper day.
Goldington Road will open at 12 midday to allow all fans to make their way into the ground, but if you do not have a match day ticket, the game is being streamed live via the Championship website.
Despite Ampthill sitting in 10th spot in English rugby’s second tier, and the Blues remaining unbeaten at home all season, all bets are off for this special encounter where Ampthill will hope to repeat their festive successes of 2018 and 2019.
Elsewhere, the league’s runaway top two have already battled it out with Ealing regaining top spot after despatching Jersey Reds 43-22 in the capital.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. George Hendy, 14. Matt Worley, 13, Jamie Elliott, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Joey Conway, 2. Jack Hughes, 3. Osman Dimen, 4. Luke Frost, 5. Robin Williams, 6. Karl Wilkins, 7. Jac Arthur, 8. Tui Uru
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Callum Burns, 17. Lewis Holsey, 18. Corrie Barrett, 19. Tom Lockett, 20. Kieran Curran, 21. Jake Garside, 22. Louis Grimoldby, 23. Tom Litchfield
