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The main selection decisions are what position does Worth play and who plays 7. Rest of the team probably picks itself. I imagine Ulqoq will play 7 if Eckersley is unavailable. Hopefully his injury isn’t long term as I think he could be an important player for us. Finch didn’t feature at all in pre season so I assume won’t play next week.

Personally, I’d play Hutler on the wing and have Worth at 23. Which seems crazy not having Worth starting but I think James has the slight edge at 15 and Titherington at 13 and I don’t think he’s best suited on the wing. I suspect he will start at 14 though. When Kershaw is back someone will have to miss out!

Jamie Jack being injured is a blow. I wonder if we’ll see Ollie Scola or Aiden Reed.

It was good to see Deano on the pitch, and full pelt committed.
Agree with others., no point rushing ‘almost fit’ players back for this one.
They wont be as unprepared as last season start. This will be about best combinations and rehearsed patterns. Looking forward to it.

Following Friday's game against Bath it is amazing how positive Blues supporters are about the coming season.

Last year's results count for little, my feeling are that we have a very competitive team from day one.

Lots of clubs have been restructuring their teams, ours is virtually last year's squad give or take which came so very close last year!

COYB

Fair observation Compo, but…


If other clubs have made new signings and thereby improved, we can mostly only improve via coaching. I’m not suggesting we are not competitive, but if we stand still others will, on occasions, overtake us. Over to the coaches then.

Also looking forward to the season. I won’t be judging much on our first match though. Win or Lose.
👍

I do think some clubs have improved whereas will we have basically remained still. Although I think all 4 signings have improved the squad in some way. We lacked an out and out 7 all who could win turnovers last season so I think Eckersley will really add something (when fit). We now have a reliable backup tighthead (although perhaps are missing a backup loosehead without Jack), some cover at fly half and Kershaw gives us another X factor player. None of the players they replaced really contributed (unless we count Fyn Brown but I think Eckersley is still an upgrade). Louis James is almost like a new signing too having missed about 1/3 of last season.

As ever, I think the main factor that will determine our success is injuries. Our starting 15/23 is as good as anybody in the league (bar Ealing), but we don’t have much depth and a few injuries can really dilute the quality and means we have to rely on whatever Saints have available. Which is particularly a struggle if we need players during u20 six nations and/or prem cup fixtures. I still think we should’ve signed one more centre to cover Booj, unless the plan is for Dufficy to play 12 occasionally. And hopefully Day has one more decent season left in him because I think his level has started to drop with age.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:16:01:45:47 by Bluesman23.

Great observations Bond Holder and Bluesman23, time will tell, I have faith in Mike Rayer and his team......I feel our new signings will add just that new dimension.

It would be nice to hear how others view the season.....

Yes, we should have got another 9, perhaps one who could double up as a wing. I think Dufficy will also play centre.

I think some other players will have developed like Evans.

Where we should benefit is continuity, as others still learn their combinations.

Quote:

TryBlues
Yes, we should have got another 9, perhaps one who could double up as a wing. I think Dufficy will also play centre.
I think some other players will have developed like Evans.

Where we should benefit is continuity, as others still learn their combinations.

I thought Dufficy would cover 12 given he seemed to play most of his rugby at his previous club there but it looked like against Bath that Maisey went to 12 when they were both on the pitch. Unless we just wanted to give him a few more minutes at 10.

That performance was, quite simply, atrocious. There were absolutely no positives to take from it whatsoever. God knows what the penalty count finished at (same story as last season in games where we go behind). We did get close to the try line a few times but there was no composure at all. Worcester didn’t play that well and managed to win by 40 points.

We do seem to get stitched up by the fixtures every year with Coventry away, Ealing at home and now Worcester away I think our most recent 3 opening fixtures. I think playing a full time team in the first game as a part time team is a big disadvantage due to them having a much more intensive pre season and less rust. The gap feels narrower once you get into the season.

I did say that our success is going to be determined by injuries. We’ve managed to assemble quite a lengthy injury list already with Deano now added to it after pulling out pre game. Kershaw will still be unavailable next week and I’m not sure of the extent of Booj and Eckersley’s injuries. In particular when Booj is missing our backs can look disjointed. Our first choice team would finish top 4 but if we continue to play like that we won’t finish top 6.

Personally I think we lost to the champions elect today, always going to be an extremely tough ask to beat the full timers of Worcester, especially with their squad depth away on the first day of the season.
We didn’t get many chances against an excellent well drilled defense.
I appreciate it’s easy watching from the stands, but we did miss a couple of gilt edge chances to score two tries and potentially 2 conversions in the first half, which would have put a different perspective on the first half.
They out muscled us and out powered us and that didn’t change when they unloaded their bench.
Onwards and upwards to a home fixture against Chinnor next Saturday 💙💙💙 COYB



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:20:08:44:23 by BedfordBlue9.

I have just seen the incident that led to the penalty reversal towards the end of the first half when we were camped on their line. We had a penalty advantage. Louis James was dumped tackled off the ball and the guy went in for afters. Hutler came in to push the guy away from James. Penalty against Bedford. Was a big swing moment in the game and an abysmal call by the ref.

Fully agree Bluesman23, awful decision by the ref. Illegal tackle and afters on Louis James, yellow card for Trewin in my option.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:09:19:23:05:49 by BedfordBlue9.

Quote:

BedfordBlue9
Fully agree Bluesman23, awful decision by the ref. Illegal tackle and afters on Louis James, yellow card for Trewin in my option.

Try watching the incident with both eyes, not just the one.

Obviously that one penalty totally swung a game where you didn’t score until the last few minutes and lost by a 35 point margin. Those calls can really hurt you in a tight game…

Quote:

neiljk

Quote:

BedfordBlue9
Fully agree Bluesman23, awful decision by the ref. Illegal tackle and afters on Louis James, yellow card for Trewin in my option.

Try watching the incident with both eyes, not just the one.

Obviously that one penalty totally swung a game where you didn’t score until the last few minutes and lost by a 35 point margin. Those calls can really hurt you in a tight game…

Worcester fans online are an odd bunch. Why would you come onto a Bedford forum and post that? If any fan base can be accused of ref blaming, have a look at the tweets from the various Worcester fan accounts after any of their losses last year. Lots of bizarre accusations of referee corruption.

At no point did anyone say that call cost Bedford the game. But that specific call doesn’t make sense to me with the benefit of the replay given Bedford already had the penalty advantage, Worcester were the aggressors with a bit of a stupid tackle and afters and it seems very harsh to award the penalty against Bedford for some retaliation pushing. But thanks for your very constructive input on the matter.

Worcester were by far the better team and Bedford never looked like winning. It wasn’t a very high quality game with both teams looking rusty, although Worcester’s defence was good. The scoreline flatters Worcester a bit as they scored 2 tries in the last minute after Bedford had given up a bit. 2 of their other tries were mauls, 1 was from a Bedford mistake. Their defense was excellent but despite the scoreline they actually offered very little in attack. No doubt the best team won though and nobody is saying the referee cost Bedford the game.

You literally called it a big swing moment….

It was one of many penalties in a game Bedford were never really in.

I don’t know why you go straight to insults about us being an odd bunch. This is a public forum….

Well, I think we can all agree plenty to work on, and much that individuals in blue can improve.
Done. Onto the next.

Anyway, I blame that ‘electric blue’ strip. Far too bright for my old eyes.

It’s sport, you always get highs and lows. This was a low day. It goes some way as to balancing all the highs of previous seasons.

For Worcester’s part, their financial position will ultimately ensure they get back into the Prem. Rugby needs a better top tier, ask the Welsh? I was surprised how empty the main stand and both ends were? Their task is to fill the stand every week- it’s regular fans that give you strength to grow.

Regarding the ref, even the Worcester connected commentator highlighted the two first half collapsed mauls by Worcester should have resulted in yellows, and of course another in the last minutes. Our penalty count first half could have resulted in yellow(s) as well. However, the ref did not cause the Blues to leave points on the grass from our first five visits to their 22. Mr Rayer will be focusing on that, and the penalties right into the last 3 minutes.

As I say, Next?

Hi all.

One of the "odd bunch" here.

Sorry to butt in but I believe the commentary team were the regular Bedford crew, both of who did last season's final.
I thought having a premiership standard ref helped rather than hindered the game which, to be honest, isn't always the case in the Champ, where some officials are clearly still honing their skills.

Regarding Sixways, season ticket sales are pretty much on par with last year's record sales , even without the curiosity factor.

The South stand wasn't open for most of last year and was rented out during the season to an educational company. It was a surprise to many that it was open.
The other end looked empty because it is. The North stand was dismantled and sold to Ospreys last year in readiness for the start of the Sixways development project.

Warriors made it clear last year that they weren't interested in promotion and the same is probably true this year.

In truth, this has nothing to do with the progress of the Sixways project, more probably, everything to do with the £20 million price tag on premier shares which are a prerequisite condition of entry to the premiership.

In short, we are happy to have a Rugby club, and happy where we are.

Have a good season,

southstand