Bedford Blues Dominate Worcester Warriors in 35-19 Victory
Table of Contents
Bedford Blues ended Worcester warriors’ promising run with a decisive 35-19 victory, fueled by a dominant first-half performance. The Warriors, despite a late surge, were unable to secure a bonus point, marking their first defeat since round four of the Champ Rugby season.
First-Half blitz Sets the Tone
The Blues quickly established control, racking up four tries before halftime. Michael le bourgeois opened the scoring just five minutes into the game with a try following a tap penalty, with Will Maisey adding the conversion. Le Bourgeois doubled his and his side’s tally just four minutes later, extending the lead to 14-0 with ten minutes played.
Worcester’s attempts to respond were thwarted, with a potential try denied after the ball was “spilt inches out from the Bedford line,” according to reports from the match. Bedford continued to press their advantage,adding further tries through louis James in the 37th and 40th minutes. A yellow card for Worcester center Tom Seabrook on the stroke of halftime compounded the Warriors’ woes.
Second-Half Fightback Falls Short
After Seabrook’s return from the sin bin, Worcester finally found a breakthrough. Will Trewin crossed the line after “some slick handling from the backs opened up the space outwide,” narrowing the gap. However, any momentum gained was immediately extinguished as tui Uru responded with a try for the Blues, pushing the score to 35-7.
The Warriors demonstrated resilience in the closing stages, adding two late tries. Will reed scored with just three minutes remaining, and James Short touched down as the game ticked into the red, marking his second try in two weeks. Despite the late push, the damage had already been done.
Final score:
Blues 35
T – Michael Le Bourgeois (5′, 9′), Louis James (37′, 40′), Tui uru (56′)
C – Will Maisey (5′, 9′, 37′, 40′)
Warriors 19
T – Will Trewin (52′), Will Reed (77′), James Short (80′)
C – Tiff Eden (77′, 80′)
YC – Tom Seabrook (40′)
Team Lineups:
Bedford Blues: 15 Louis James, 14 George Worth (Hutler HT), 13 lucas Titherington, 12 michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Dean adamson, 10 Will Maisey (Price 60′), 9 Alex Day © (Weimann 63′); 1 Joey Conway (Jack 49′), 2 James Fish (Herman 49′), 3 Oisin Heffernan (Tonga’uiha 60′), 4 Rory Ward, 5 Alex Woolford (Sylvester 60′), 6 Fred Tuilagi, 7 Fyn Brown (Finch 46′), 8 Tui Uru
Worcester Warriors: 15 Will Trewin (Tiff Eden 71′), 14 Jake Garside, 13 Tom Seabrook, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (James Short 63′), 11 Juan González, 10 Will Reed, 9 Lloyd Williams © (Will Lane 63′); 1 Livai Natave (Cam miell 50′), 2 Will Biggs (Jasper Spandler 45′), 3 Tim Hoyt (Ashley Challenger 29′), 4 Obinna Nkwocha (Hallam Chapman 56′), 5 James Tyas, 6 Tim Anstee, 7 Thabo Ndimande (Austin wallis 50′), 8 Khalik Kareem
Despite a spirited effort in the final minutes, Worcester warriors were ultimately outmatched by a clinical Bedford Blues performance, highlighting the importance of a strong start in competitive rugby.
