Rugby union returns to Goldington Road for the first time in 83 days on Friday night (21 August) as Bedford Blues kick off their pre-season campaign against last season’s Champ Rugby basement club, Cambridge.
The two teams will be fighting it out for the Baker Brothers Cup; the second instalment of the friendly competition whose inaugural version was won by the Blues last season after a 40-24 victory against Ampthill.
In September 2025 it was billed as the Bedfordshire Cup, but now has local business, Baker Brothers Diamonds installed as a new headline sponsor, with Cambridge the latest to tackle Bedford Blues for the trophy.
Read: Bedford Blues control the bragging rights to win Bedfordshire Cup against Ampthill
Cambridge will be visiting the likes of Plymouth Albion, Dings Crusaders and Tonbridge Juddians in National One this year after being relegated with a whimper following a winless Champ Rugby campaign in 2025/26.
They drew just one game, a 12-12 home draw against Doncaster Knights in January, but are naturally amongst the favourites to bounce back up, despite losing a number of players over the summer.
New names
One of those is flanker, Dan Eckersley who will be lining up in Blues colours as one of four new signings who will take to the field on Friday night, with three of those starting from the off in an extended 25-man matchday squad.
Winger, Marcus Kershaw is a former England Under-20 international but has been plying his trade in the Sevens game in recent years, while Will Davies-King lines up in the front row alongside regulars, Tommy Herman and Joey Conway.
The fourth is the Blues’ newest signing; Australian fly-half Ben Dufficy who has moved to Goldington Road after a single season at New Zealand club, Taranaki Bulls.
Two other new faces – Raff Hewitt and Ollie Broughton – are due to make guest appearances from the bench, while lock, James Bennett is on loan from Northampton Saints.
Read: Bedford Blues announce extension to strategic partnership with Northampton Saints
Despite a sprinkling of new faces, the Blues managed to retain the vast majority of the squad who came so close to winning the Champ Rugby title last season.
Will Maisey, who lines up for his seventh full campaign for Bedford in the number ten jersey, is Friday’s match day captain, while other regular names such as James Lennon, Rory Ward and Tui Uru also start.
Louis James also makes a welcome return to full back after missing the end of last season with injury, and will lead the sides out against Cambridge in what will be his 50th appearance for the club.
Free-to-air pilot
With Bath on the horizon in the Blues’ only other scheduled pre-season friendly, Mike Rayer and his coaching team will be looking to hit the ground running ahead of another gargantuan 26-game regular season.
The Champ Rugby season will once again be aired in its entirety on Clubber TV, but there is also the addition of a free-to-air trial, in which nine games across a two-month period will be available to watch for free on BLAZE.
None of those nine Sunday games include the Blues, although should the trial continue, the Blues’ scheduled game against Caldy on Sunday, 20 December could feature.
Tickets for Friday’s Baker Brothers Cup clash are still available here. The game kicks off at 7:45pm.
Bedford Blues Starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. Ryan Hutler, 13. George Worth, 12. Lucas Titherington, 11. Marcus Kershaw, 10. Will Maisey (C), 9. James Lennon; 1. Joey Conway, 2. Tommy Herman, 3. Will Davies-King, 4. Ilan Evans, 5. Rory Ward, 6. Kayde Sylvester, 7. Dan Eckersley, 8. Tui Uru
Bedford Blues Replacements:
James Fish, Monty Royston, Oisin Heffernan, Alex Woolford, James Bennett, Raff Hewitt, Alex Day, Ben Dufficy, Michael Le Bourgeois, Ollie Broughton
