The Blues’ home record has been immaculate this season, helping Mike Rayer’s side climb to fourth in the Championship table and the Bedford Director of Rugby will be hoping for more of the same as the calendar has turned another year.
The visitors on Saturday afternoon are Cornish Pirates; a side Rayer has faced off against a mere 45 times but the side from Penzance have not been their usual selves this season as they sit seventh in the league table, although they are building a run with back-to-back victories in 2023 so far.
Those victories, against Nottingham and Doncaster Knights prove they still pose a significant threat and the Blues will need all of their usual flair and guile to see them off and maintain their superb home record this season.
Two Blues changes
Last weekend’s away victory against London Scottish was notable in it’s clinical nature as well as a first try in senior Blues colours for Tom Litchfield, who is rewarded with a start in the number 13 jersey at Goldington Road in one of two changes made by Rayer to the side who won in capital city.
The second is in the front row with Corrie Barrett returning at tighthead prop, replacing Ehren Painter who returns to Northampton Saints.
To say the Pirates form has been “up and down” would be putting it lightly.
Opening round victories against Richmond and Nottingham looked to set them up for another run at the Championship title but that was punctured in September with back-to-back defeats, one of which was against the Blues – a game Mike Rayer’s side won 41-21.
Read: Brilliant Blues put Pirates to the sword in second half comeback
Since then, the Pirates won all of their games in November followed by losing all of their games in December, so the Blues will be hoping that pattern is broken come Saturday with Alan Paver and Gavin Cattle’s side two from two so far in January.
The Blues meanwhile have suffered a setback in losing Jordan Onojaife for fifteen weeks after he was cited for a bite on Ealing’s Carlo Tizzano at the end of their encounter in December, while Osman Dimen, Jacob Fields and Alex Woolford are still injury casualties.
Tickets for tomorrow’s clash, which kicks off at 3pm at Goldington Road, are still available to buy here.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. George Hendy, 14. Matt Worley, 13. Tom Litchfield, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Joey Conway, 2. Jack Hughes, 3. Corrie Barrett, 4. Robin Williams, 5. Tom Lockett, 6. Luke Frost, 7. Jac Arthur, 8. Tui Uru
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Aston Gradwick-Light , 17. Monty Royston, 18. Ed Prowse, 19. Charles Rylands, 20. Kieran Curran, 21. Jake Garside, 22. Louis Grimoldby, 23. Seán French
