After a pre-season lasting seven weeks and a build up to match, competitive rugby union is back at Goldington Road this weekend as Bedford Blues host reigning champions, Ealing Trailfinders in round one of the revamped Champ Rugby campaign.
The clash between last season’s top two kicks off at 4pm on Saturday 4 October; the final scheduled fixture of round one in a competition that has been both extended and amended, and is the largest ever second tier in English rugby history.
It’s been an impressive pre-season for the Blues, with victories over National One’s Blackheath, as well as familiar opponents, Cornish Pirates and Ampthill but the intensity will go up a notch as Mike Rayer’s men welcome the reigning champions to home territory.
Ealing’s path to the title in the last couple of years has been an almost expected one, but this year they face the considerable challenge of the brand new 34-man squad of Worcester Warriors, while the new play-off format could throw up some surprises come May 2026.
The new format
Come the end of the regular season, Champ Rugby’s top six will enter a play-off competition, where the top two qualify automatically for the semi-finals, while the teams placed third to sixth will compete in a quarter-final stage.
The winners of the play-offs will then face the side who finished last in the Premiership (renamed ‘The Prem’), for a spot in the top tier, although the RFU’s minimum standards criteria for promotion remain.
There will also be automatic relegation to National One for Champ Rugby’s bottom side, as well as an ‘Access Final’ which includes the loser of 12th vs 13th in Champ Rugby facing up against the team who wins a play-off competition in National One.
For the Blues, the ever-present Director of Rugby, Mike Rayer will certainly not be entertaining those conundrums towards the bottom, and has been cautious but optimistic in his outlook for the new season as he targets a place in the top six.
He has spoken of his battles to integrate a vast number of new faces in both his playing squad and backroom team ahead of the new campaign, but judging by a solid pre-season, the Blues look ready to go ahead of the first of 26 competitive league fixtures.
Read: Bedford Blues’ Rayer: “Good to hear new voices but the proof of the pudding is when we get underway”
There may be new faces in the squad and there will be new teams to try and conquer, but one thing is as certain as the sky is blue, and that entertainment and joué will be front and centre at Goldington Road as the Blues attack a new rugby union calendar.
Le Bourgeois celebrates milestone
There are seven changes to the side that beat Ampthill in the inaugural Bedfordshire Cup pre-season outing a fortnight ago, and it is a side that will be led out by Blues stalwart, Michael Le Bourgeois on his 200th club appearance.
Alex Day will captain the side from scrum half, while Will Maisey returns to fly half alongside him, with Tom Price dropping to the bench. Fred Tuilagi has also won the battle of the number eights and begins from the off, with the returning Tui Uru among the replacements.
There is also an added element to the new Champ Rugby season as all 182 league games are being streamed live courtesy of Clubber TV. More details of how to gain your pass can be found via the Bedford Blues website here.
Tickets for the Blues’ league opener against Ealing Trailfinders at Goldington Road on 4 October can be bought here. The game kicks off at the later than usual time of 4pm, as it is one of Clubber TV’s ‘Showcase’ games.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. Ryan Hutler, 13. Lucas Titherington, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Jamie Jack, 2. James Fish, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. Rory Ward, 5. Alex Woolford, 6. Archie Benson, 7. Nicholas Finch, 8. Fred Tuilagi
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Tommy Herman, 17. Ollie Scola, 18. Sonny Tonga’uiha, 19. Kayde Sylvester, 20. Tui Uru, 21. James Lennon, 22. Tom Price, 23. George Worth
