Blues v Warriors
By TryBlues
December 13 2025
It is a decade ago since we last player Worcester, which I had forgot, but the 2011 game still sticks in the memory. We had to make the trip to Worcester for a one-leg semi final play off. There were 2 keys moments that ultimately led to Blues losing 23-22. Worcester Warriors 23-22 Bedford Blues - BBC Sport
First was Edd Thrower who forgot to throw a pass but threw a dummy instead of giving it to Pritchard who would have scored a certain try.
Second was the Gillanders being held in the scum which allowed Warriors to score. The TV saw it but with no TMO, Worcester got away and ultimately won. I have it on good authority that even the RFU sent an apology to Blues for the missed hold back, but it didn't achieve anything. Worcester went on to get promotion.
We saw Worcester again in 2014-15 where we lost 42-12 and 17-32 at Goldington Road.
What will happen this time. I feel Blues should beat Warriors at Goldington Road and lose in Worcester, but both teams will be capable of turning each other away from home. Warriors are 2nd and Blues are 3rd, so it is a big game to try and get the 2 seed spot for the end of season play-offs. Warriors do need to play Ealing though.
One thing for certain is we will need to be on our game and Blues will want decent weather and need to bring their physicality, something they did not do against Ealing.
Team wise I expect similar to Pirates. Our ball carrying with Tuilagi and Tonga'uiha in particular was very impressive with 3 players often needed to take them down, closely followed by Uru. Hopefully Fred isn't too bad having come off early.
I was surprised we did not bring on Slyvester on earlier v Pirates, and I think i would play him for the lineout disruption he brings to the opposition.
Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Blues Brothers (IP Logged)
Date: 13/12/2025 20:55
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Old blue (IP Logged)
Date: 14/12/2025 23:11
Obviously it’s going to be a tough game but I think with some vociferous home support the blues will be narrow winners.
We need all of our heavy ball carriers fit and on form.
Currently the weather forecast looks good so hopefully it will stay that way.
We need all of our heavy ball carriers fit and on form.
Currently the weather forecast looks good so hopefully it will stay that way.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: OldWulfWarrior (IP Logged)
Date: 15/12/2025 11:00
Looking forward to my first visit to watch rugby (I have visited for the fireworks). I am expecting a close exciting game, they always seemed to be close in the past when Blues visited Sixways. I am bringing my nephew who lives in Bedford so hopefully it will encourage him to watch Bedford more often.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: BedfordBlue9 (IP Logged)
Date: 18/12/2025 15:08
Gotta expect pretty much the same team/squad that won down in Cornwall last Friday. Maybe a couple of rotations in the front row, with the back line possibly being unchanged and hopefully a full strong bench too.
COYB.
COYB.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: TryBlues (IP Logged)
Date: 19/12/2025 12:03
3 Saints (1 starts). Good to have Brown back, Fred fit and Tonga'uiha on the bench.
Bedford Blues starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. George Worth, 13. Lucas Titherington, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Joey Conway, 2. James Fish, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. Rory Ward, 5. Alex Woolford, 6. Fred Tuilagi, 7. Fyn Brown, 8. Tui Uru
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Tommy Herman, 17. Jamie Jack, 18. Sonny Tonga’uiha, 19. Kayde Sylvester, 20. Nicholas Finch, 21. Jonny Weimann, 22. Tom Price, 23. Ryan Hutler
Unavailable for selection this week:
Archie Hosking, Rafe Witheat
Bedford Blues starting XV:
15. Louis James, 14. George Worth, 13. Lucas Titherington, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C); 1. Joey Conway, 2. James Fish, 3. Oisin Heffernan, 4. Rory Ward, 5. Alex Woolford, 6. Fred Tuilagi, 7. Fyn Brown, 8. Tui Uru
Bedford Blues Replacements:
16. Tommy Herman, 17. Jamie Jack, 18. Sonny Tonga’uiha, 19. Kayde Sylvester, 20. Nicholas Finch, 21. Jonny Weimann, 22. Tom Price, 23. Ryan Hutler
Unavailable for selection this week:
Archie Hosking, Rafe Witheat
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Bluesman23 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/12/2025 13:57
Looks to be a great day for it tomorrow. I’d start Hutler, but team looks strong. Surprised to see Weimann on the bench over Lennon unless he has a knock.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: TryBlues (IP Logged)
Date: 19/12/2025 15:40
I agree with Lennon, I think they have gone for more Worth's defensive ability.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Bluesman23 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/12/2025 16:10
Peppering J Garside with high balls won’t be a bad tactic…
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Old blue (IP Logged)
Date: 19/12/2025 16:44
I think that with Fyn Brown back it’s a very strong back row.
I like Lennon when he comes on for the pace he injects into the game so not sure why Weimann is on the bench. It will be really good test for the Blues against a strong Worcester side.
I like Lennon when he comes on for the pace he injects into the game so not sure why Weimann is on the bench. It will be really good test for the Blues against a strong Worcester side.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: TryBlues (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 17:27
A great 1st half and even first 10 blew Warriors away. I wasn’t expecting that, especially the scrum winning 5 or 6 penalties in a row.
We nullified their big ball carriers for most of the game and it was only when they resulted to more pick and goes close to the ruck they made more inroads.
As I said on the league site, it seemed like Worcester’s backline attack was more like chuck it to Garside and wait for some magic, which we marshalled well.
2nd half was always going to be tricky and with them scoring 14 points in the last 5 mins to make the scorline closer was a great effort. The players should be proud of themselves.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:21:09:41:56 by TryBlues.
We nullified their big ball carriers for most of the game and it was only when they resulted to more pick and goes close to the ruck they made more inroads.
As I said on the league site, it seemed like Worcester’s backline attack was more like chuck it to Garside and wait for some magic, which we marshalled well.
2nd half was always going to be tricky and with them scoring 14 points in the last 5 mins to make the scorline closer was a great effort. The players should be proud of themselves.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:21:09:41:56 by TryBlues.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: SaintsAsh (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 18:01
Good win for you, how did the Blues/Saints boys play?
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: TryBlues (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 18:11
Quote:SaintsAsh
Good win for you, how did the Blues/Saints boys play?
Brown was good, as he always is, against a big backrow of Warriors. He looks a bit bigger as well.
Tonga’uiha made a few carries in his 20 ish mins and always makes some yards and the scrum was solid. He is like his dad and carries upright so can also offload out of the tackle.
Wiemann with his 20 is mins, wasn’t great, but it was a period Warriors were also edging as they were trying to get a bonus point. One moment he lost the ball at the back of a solid scrum, held on, gave back chat to compound the error 10m, ultimately Warriors scored. He is the one who needs to develop further and Garside looked a better scrum half when we had him.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:20:18:39:39 by TryBlues.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Old blue (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 18:15
I thought Brown was excellent rather than good (sorry to be pedantic) with some great line out work as well as his lose play.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Old blue (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 18:20
I stand behind the posts st the end opposite the scrum bar and the Worcester players looked shell shocked as the first half tries kept coming. I agree with previous comments about their poor attacking plays. If they couldn’t get it to Garside they kicked the ball after a few phases.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: compo simonite (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 18:49
What an astounding game, with final score which flattered Worcester, their players dare I suggest looked 'drained' (I am being polite with that description) as they were replaced, our players out ran them!
Bedford always raise their game with teams they perceive to be better than them, today they were superior in every quarter
Worcester were continuously being penalised in the first half, and much of the second half....
Were Worcester down to 14 players in the second half as mentioned on RM......injury or card?
No man of the match from me, the whole team were winners as were the Blues Supporters with an early Christmas Present.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:20:20:53:44 by compo simonite.
Bedford always raise their game with teams they perceive to be better than them, today they were superior in every quarter
Worcester were continuously being penalised in the first half, and much of the second half....
Were Worcester down to 14 players in the second half as mentioned on RM......injury or card?
No man of the match from me, the whole team were winners as were the Blues Supporters with an early Christmas Present.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:20:20:53:44 by compo simonite.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: TryBlues (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 18:58
Yellow card when we scored our 4th, Seabrook was therefore off for 10 mins in the end half.
Also Ward seemed to get injured with the last 10 mins when we didn’t have any more subs, which didn’t help us.
I totally agree, it was a team performance. Some of the lines for the tries were great, I particularly liked the 5m tap set play. There was also plenty of offloading out of the tackle.
Just saw Le bourgeois was MoM, could have been anyone, but he did lead the defence, scored 2 and carried well.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:20:18:59:57 by TryBlues.
Also Ward seemed to get injured with the last 10 mins when we didn’t have any more subs, which didn’t help us.
I totally agree, it was a team performance. Some of the lines for the tries were great, I particularly liked the 5m tap set play. There was also plenty of offloading out of the tackle.
Just saw Le bourgeois was MoM, could have been anyone, but he did lead the defence, scored 2 and carried well.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:12:20:18:59:57 by TryBlues.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: NGSB (IP Logged)
Date: 20/12/2025 19:04
Well done Blues. Would love to have been there but prior commitments at the Gardens this afternoon.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: Bond Holder (IP Logged)
Date: 21/12/2025 09:26
Firstly, let me say, the travelling Warriors fans did themselves credit. A couple of youngsters in the stand didn’t stop encouraging their team even when 28-0 down, and until the final whistle. Great to see real fans back in the sport, no matter what the club’s financial past.
Regarding the Blues:
The most complete, balanced and well thought out game plan for many a year. The plan to negate Garside worked perfectly. Well done Deano.
Credit to Mike and all the coaches for a professional job done. ‘The Team’ is both in game play, and off field preparation. Well done to you as well.
Finally, so many ST holders in the stand didn’t turn up. Spare seats everywhere. We need to think about a temp share scheme for the die hards. Full seats equals refreshment revenue.
Regarding the Blues:
The most complete, balanced and well thought out game plan for many a year. The plan to negate Garside worked perfectly. Well done Deano.
Credit to Mike and all the coaches for a professional job done. ‘The Team’ is both in game play, and off field preparation. Well done to you as well.
Finally, so many ST holders in the stand didn’t turn up. Spare seats everywhere. We need to think about a temp share scheme for the die hards. Full seats equals refreshment revenue.
Re: Blues v Warriors
Posted by: the hooded man (IP Logged)
Date: 23/12/2025 13:46
No jeopardy this week. :-) That was the most comfortable win I've witnessed this season.
Poor discipline in the first ten minutes and the last ten minutes of the first half cost Worcester the game. The penalties gave Bedford field position which they utilised well. The middle twenty minutes of the first half more closely resembled the game we were all expecting, a closely matched battle of attack and defence from both sides that made for an entertaining game. Bedford's defence was particularly impressive during this period.
The Worcester yellow at the very end of the first half provided a breathing space for Bedford at the beginning of the second half that made Worcester work harder in that ten minutes and took some pressure off Bedford.
The way that Bedford neutralised the threat from Garside showed how much winning their first league game against Worcester meant to the squad as a whole.
It is likely to be a very different game when we go down to their place but this historic win will put the whole squad in a good place.
But not a complacent place. We cannot assume that Richmond will be a pushover. There were some big hits in the Worcester game and with a six day turn round, bodies will have had less time to recover.
Hopefully Boxing Day will be a sell out and the crowd will get behind the boys. COYB
Poor discipline in the first ten minutes and the last ten minutes of the first half cost Worcester the game. The penalties gave Bedford field position which they utilised well. The middle twenty minutes of the first half more closely resembled the game we were all expecting, a closely matched battle of attack and defence from both sides that made for an entertaining game. Bedford's defence was particularly impressive during this period.
The Worcester yellow at the very end of the first half provided a breathing space for Bedford at the beginning of the second half that made Worcester work harder in that ten minutes and took some pressure off Bedford.
The way that Bedford neutralised the threat from Garside showed how much winning their first league game against Worcester meant to the squad as a whole.
It is likely to be a very different game when we go down to their place but this historic win will put the whole squad in a good place.
But not a complacent place. We cannot assume that Richmond will be a pushover. There were some big hits in the Worcester game and with a six day turn round, bodies will have had less time to recover.
Hopefully Boxing Day will be a sell out and the crowd will get behind the boys. COYB
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.