Saracens are proud to work in partnership with a range of companies and suppliers all striving for excellence in their field Harvey Beaton started at tight-head for the A's with Kaden Pearce-Paul also making an appearance in the engine room The half-back pairing were also from North London with Charlie Bracken and Louie Johnson both starting at nine and 10 respectively Josh Hallett returned to Paul Turner's side in the centres with Brandon Jackson also getting a start on the right wing hooker James Isaacs and loose forwards Kennedy Sylvester and Charlie West were all included making significant impacts for Paul Turner's side The Saracen's representatives also made a significant impact on the score sheet with 17 of Ampthill's points coming from loanees Charlie Bracken and Josh Hallett both touched down for scores either side of the half whilst Louie Johnson kept the scoreboard ticking with successful conversion and penalty attempts Ampthill return home next time out against table toppers Ealing Trailfinders at Dillingham Park with the hunt to finish towards the top of the table very much on for Paul Turner's final season in charge of the A's Amelia MacDougall looks back fondly on the Allianz Cup triumph of the 2023/24 season in which she played a key role in steering Saracens to victory at Shaftesbury Park during her debut senior campaign Saracens Women beat Bristol Bears Women at Shaftesbury Park in the Allianz Cup Final to round off an impressive campaign for […] Saracens are thrilled to confirm that exciting young winger Tobias Elliott has committed his future to the club signing a multi-year contract at StoneX Stadium establishing himself as a regular in the first team The 21-year-old joined the senior academy in 2022 and made his […] With Saracens about to face Newcastle Falcons at the StoneX Stadium in their penultimate home fixture of the season it’s time to look back on the last time the Falcons made the trip to North London: Saracens Men saw out 2023 in style with a 37-19 bonus-point victory over Newcastle Falcons at a sold-out StoneX […] Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative Bristol Bears’ Premiership Rugby Cup clash with Ampthill at Ashton Gate on Sunday This will allow supporters the opportunity to watch England’s Autumn Nations Series fixture against Japan in the Independence Sports Bar at Ashton Gate following the conclusion of the action in BS3 Tickets are available in the Lansdown Stand wings from £5 and Centre seats from £10 Only the Lower Lansdown Stand will be open plus additional blocks in the South Stand if required Season Ticket holders are unable to reserve their usual seat for these fixtures instead the seat you select online will be where you sit on the day Season Ticket holders need to claim their free ticket for these games which are included with a Bears Season Ticket Once Season Ticket Holders claim their free ticket they will receive a confirmation email with a link to add their ticket to Apple or Google Wallet on their mobile phone Digital Season Tickets and physical season cards will not work for this game Tickets for our Premiership Rugby Cup pool stage clash with West Country rivals Bath Rugby on Saturday February 15th (3pm KO) will go on sale at a later date Ashton Gate StadiumAshton RoadBristolBS3 2EJ To continue please log in with your personal details Logging in will give you access to ticketing If you have not yet set up a Bristol Bears account just click Create Account below London Scottish have made eight changes to the side that faced Ealing Trailfinders a week ago With a number of injuries causing changes in the back line and a few returning stars Joe Gray and Bryan Redpath have shuffled the pack whilst Will Simonds and Robbie McCallum come into the centres Hayden Hyde comes in and Roma Zheng returns from injury the only changes to the starting side are Austin Wallis coming in from the bench as does Tom Marshall with Zach Carr moving to openside flanker On the bench Alex Wardell returns from injury with Jack Musk coming onto the bench for the first time this calendar year SubscrIbe for the latest news and offers direct to your inbox Every available Bristol Bears player will feature this weekend as Pat Lam names two matchday squads to take on Queensland Reds and Ampthill in the space of 24 hours despite having 21 unavailable players due to injury or international call-ups Jake Heenan leads the matchday 23 to face the Australian touring side in an exhibition match at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm KO) while fellow centurion Yann Thomas captains the Bears in the Premiership Rugby Cup clash at Dillingham Park Bears name 13 current Academy players across both squads as well as nine invitational players from partner club Dings Crusaders and those identified through the BUCS pathway Pat Lam said: “With the short turnaround from Sunday’s game versus Newcastle to Friday as well as 21 players injured or unavailable due to international call-ups we’ve balanced the squads for this weekend’s games against Queensland Reds and Ampthill in the space of 24 hours progressing in the Premiership Cup is important to ensure we have competitive fixtures in the four weeks leading up to facing Exeter Chiefs so we are best prepared for that Gallagher Premiership clash on Saturday “But this weekend is a great opportunity for every fit and available Academy player to pull on the Bears shirt as well as some young and exciting invitational players who have been excelling for their clubs or BUCS universities.” Bristol Bears team to face Queensland Reds at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm KO): Bristol Bears team to face Ampthill in the Premiership Rugby Cup on Saturday (2pm KO): Bears welcome Ampthill to Ashton Gate in the Premiership Rugby Cup on Sunday November 24th (2pm KO) – here’s everything you need to know The Ticket Office by the Atyeo Statue will be open from 12pm-2.15pm This match IS included for Season Ticket Holders but supporters need to claim their free ticket as Digital Season Tickets and physical season cards will not work Tickets are available in the Lansdown Stand wings from £5 and centre from £10 plus blocks in the South Stand if required The Fan Village will open from 12pm with a wide range of food and drink available Make sure to check out ‘The Gate’ for speedy service before heading through the turnstiles Fans can look forward to a wide selection of food and drink in our Fan Village The Independence Sports Bar will be open from 12pm There is a new bar layout for quicker service and pre-poured drinks Make sure to try the LOADED at Ashton Gate menu as well as Sahara Nuts and Beerpig Pork Scratchings The new LOADED menu features nachos made freshly each matchday with a choice of chilli beef or pulled pork toppings ten different chicken wing flavours and chicken tenders Supporters can also take advantage of the table football and interactive darts while fans can watch England’s Autumn Nations Series clash with Japan (4.10pm KO) in the Independence Sports Bar following the conclusion our fixture with Ampthill The Bristol Bears Community Foundation will be running pre-match activities including Higher or Lower in the Lansdown concourse by A8 in the build-up to kick-off Activities are FREE of charge so all you need to do is join the queue The activities will start from 12.30pm when the turnstiles open so see you there for lots of family fun Briz will be in attendance and can’t wait to see you all. Free fruit is also available for our Junior Supporters as part of our commitment to promote healthier lifestyles for children One item of fruit is available per child and subject to availability The Bristol Sport Store opens at 12pm and will close 30 minutes after the final whistle The fans’ favourite home shirt is available online now and in-store while our O’Neills away and European shirts are also available Under-12 Season Ticket holders can redeem their free 2024/25 Youth shirt if they’ve not done so already Fans will have been sent an email with their unique gift card number and PIN which can be used in exchange for a 24/25 Home Sign up to play Bears Lotto for your chance to win a £10,000 jackpot or money-can’t-buy prizes while supporting the Bristol Bears Community Foundation entrants have the chance to win the £10,000 jackpot balls or a tour of the Bears High Performance Centre Every time you play you will be contributing directly to the funding the award-winning work of Bristol Bears’ official charity helping the Foundation deliver programmes that are proven to change the lives of the most disadvantaged people across the region you could be in with the chance of winning the Your Lottery £10,000 jackpot or 13 monthly prizes from the £1,600 prize pot Here’s everything you need to know about Getting to the Gate for our Premiership Rugby Cup third round clash with Ampthill on Sunday Our matchday shuttle buses will be operating at a reduced service as follows: All services drop-off and collect from Winterstoke Road, outside Ashton Gate. Full details including route maps, timetables, pricing and ticket information is available at Getting Here – Bristol Bears Rugby. For this match we are not running the AG3 service. However there are multiple other ways to reach the stadium from the city centre, including the use of the number 24 bus line which stops on Ashton Road For other public bus routes, please check Getting Here – Bristol Bears Rugby. The Clifton Suspension Bridge will be closed with a signed diversion route drivers taking this route should be aware of elongated journey times we have now launched a service that will allow you to connect with fellow fans to share a journey to the stadium. Fans simply need to visit joinmyjourney, register and then join the ‘hub’ for Bristol Bears Home Games You then upload your journey for the matchday and indicate whether you are a looking for a lift or if you are a driver with a spare seat Use the unique link here to join our Bristol Bears Home Games travel hub. For more information, you can read our article here. All services drop-off and collect from Winterstoke Road, outside Ashton Gate. Full details including route maps, timetables, pricing and ticket information is available at Getting Here – Bristol Bears Rugby. Pre-match there will be additional trains stopping at Parson Street station at 13.11 and 14.07 from Weston Super Mare. Post-match there will be an additional train service departing from Parson Street at 17.13 towards Weston Super Mare and an additional departure to Taunton at 17.57 Fans walking or cycling from the city centre and harbourside are advised that Vauxhall Bridge is closed for repairs. Gaol Ferry Bridge and Bedminster Bridge remain open. Full details visit Restoration of New Cut bridges (bristol.gov.uk). For fans travelling on foot from around the city, check out the Ashton Gate walking map to make your trip to the stadium more interesting. For the map, please click here Full information on all travel options, including details of the new Bristol’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) are available at Getting Here – Bristol Bears Rugby Mike Rayer has named his squad as Bedford Blues look to kickstart 2025 on the strongest possible footing when entertaining neighbours Ampthill for the second time this season at Goldington Road Tickets still available for Derby Day at discounted prices online; get yours today here! There’s not too much for either side to learn about the other with this the 18th meeting across a five-year period in competitive and friendly action with both teams having their moments in this fixture over that time – Blues with a narrow series lead but wary of the threat Ampthill will pose on their travels The two sides average around 50 points from those prior encounters, 32 were evidenced in November’s meeting, with another humdinger expected in-front of a large attendance at Goldington Road. To read more about the BIG game, our online matchday programme is available by clicking here Rayer makes three changes to the side which signed off 2024 with an impressive performance in-front of a sellout Goldington Road crowd against Cambridge last time out Those triple alterations all come in the forwards pack as Jamie Jack and Tommy Herman are brought into the front row while Rory Ward makes a welcome return from injury to partner Alex Woolford in the second row Alex Day fit enough to make a return from the replacements bench Blues would like to thank Rosslyn Park for their assistance in allowing tighthead prop Austin Hay to join the club on a short-term loan as injury cover with Beltus Nonleh currently sidelined at Northampton The club would also like to thank Bath Rugby and John Stewart (Blues Brother #3841) for their support in the run up to Christmas with the front row forward making four appearances throughout December including an important try in the victory at London Scottish We look forward to renewing acquaintances in the Premiership Rugby Cup next month in front of the TV cameras Tickets Shop Rugby Camps Website by Bluegreen Design Home > News > Coventry Rugby vs Ampthill Rugby 2024/25 Programme Click the link below to read today’s match programme Zeeon Programme Copyright © Coventry Rugby 2025. Privacy Policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings Privacy Overview Strictly Necessary Cookies 3rd Party Cookies Privacy OverviewThis website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences Bedford Blues began their calendar year by surviving a spirited second half comeback to prevail 45-24 against Ampthill at a lively Goldington Road on Saturday afternoon (18 January) 3,317 fans were in attendance to witness an engrossing affair that see Bedford Blues rise above Coventry to second ahead of their season-defining clash at Goldington Road next Friday night Bedford Blues have gained the upper hand in this fixture in recent encounters Ampthill who had the best of the early throws with Louie Johnson gaining the first points with a 40-metre penalty after four minutes Will Maisey responded with a simpler three points of his own a minute later but the opening quarter was played out almost exclusively in Bedford territory as Ampthill – with a number of Saracens second-string players in their side – began well The Blues’ true first foray forward came courtesy of a mistake towards Bedford’s try line; a dropped Ampthill pass falling kindly into the path of Matt Worley who sprinted the length of the pitch only to be caught at the last as he was felled just short It wasn’t long before the Blues did score; Joel Matavesi’s inch perfect pass inside found Michael Le Bourgeois and the matchday captain was unselfish in returning to Matavesi who walked in under the posts to give Bedford a 10-3 lead after 23 minutes Ampthill found themselves down to 14 as Wilson Ijeh was sin-binned for tackling Luke Frost in the air and within minutes Bedford Blues had their second as Fred Tuilagi was set at the bottom of a rolling maul to touch down Only a try-saving interception from Lekima Ravuvu saved a third as all of a sudden the Blues had gained control of an encounter getting steadily more feisty That try came on the cusp of half-time as a quick thinking Matavesi tapped a penalty and with Ampthill defenders back-tracking the centre found the whitewash to extend the Blues’ lead to 24-3 at the break Ampthill began the second period on the front foot and their early pressure told as Charlie Bracken broke through a gap in the Bedford defence to dot down under the posts and reduce the deficit to 24-10 Alex Woolford became the second recipient of a yellow card shortly after another Ampthill effort was held up but Brandon Jackson did eventually get the second score of a solid second half start for the visitors Joe Howard spotted a gap of his own to gain Bedford’s bonus point but Ampthill once again reduced the advantage to seven points with Harvey Beaton getting the final touch at the bottom of another rolling maul as the visitors remained in touch at 31-24 the tension began to rise around Goldington Road but the Blues were at least able to escape their own 22 thanks to some lackadaisical Ampthill defending and it wasn’t long before Bedford made them pay The ball quickly made its way out to the left wing via the hands of Maisey and Worley to find Dean Adamson who edged ever closer to the Bedford Blues try-scoring record with his customary full length dive to give the home side some breathing space George Smith came off the bench to put the game out of sight on the cusp of the final whistle as Bedford Blues scored a sixth try and confirmed an entertaining 45-24 victory that see them leapfrog Coventry on points difference while Ealing continue to be at the head of affairs although they were made to work for it as they beat Championship new boys The shock of the round came from Merseyside as Caldy beat fourth-placed Nottingham 27-22 while Hartpury moved into top-four contention with a 34-10 victory against Cornish Pirates Bedford Blues have just six days to recover from this bruising clash before welcoming Coventry to Goldington Road on Friday 24 January as they look to cement second place in this intriguing Championship campaign It’s time for the return of our annual Ale Festival as Bedford Blues look for Derby Day bragging rights when hosting neighbours Ampthill this Friday under the lights (Gates 5pm; KO 7:45pm) FREE ENTRY for all serving Armed Forces with valid ID; discounted tickets available online for everyone else, save £4 by clicking here. Both sides will be looking to make their mark in this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup after defeat to top-flight opposition in the opening round of the competition Locked at eight wins apiece from previous meetings since a first in 2019 there’s more than just bragging rights this Friday night Expect another close encounter against our nearest rivals Real Ale Festival – The CMC Marquee Friday’s highly anticipated derby clash also plays host to our annual Ale Festival with a full Starting XV of guest beers on offer inside The CMC Marquee from gates opening at 5pm To read the full listing and tasting notes either checkout the programme centrefold or visit social media on matchday The selection includes regular Marston’s favourites local ales from Brewpoint and Kelchner Brewery in Ampthill along with guests from all corners of England With our Burrow at the Blues and Dovecote Park Suite venues SOLD OUT for the next five matches take advantage of availability in the CMC Marquee serving a revamped hearty menu this season CONTACT BLUES COMMERCIAL Bedford Blues will again pay tribute to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice A minute’s silence will be held immediately before kick-off The club’s flag will fly at half-mast poppies can be purchased from the Royal British Legion gazebo PLEASE NOTE: To allow all club staff to observe an impeccable minute’s silence the turnstiles will close for a short period Please enter the ground in plenty of time to avoid any delay at KO so head to the ground early to avoid the queues and sample everything on offer Grab a programme from the gates and visit one of our eight public bars with more service provision installed from this game If you’re not heading to the Ale Festival Scrum Bar or Former Players could be your place to soak up the pre-match atmosphere the Blues Horsebox has been repurposed as the ‘Beer Box’ located between the marquee and SDC Suites remains available from the Mini Fan Village serving Poretti lager only alongside the usual offering of No.7 Coffee House Mobile Truck Dunster House Bar and Burger & Sausage Hut There are three other food outlets available; a catering unit by the main gates Taylor’s Kitchen at the Scrum Hall serving hatch and Chicken George from The Burrow outside hatch head to The Rebel Bar for the continuation of ‘Final Whistle’ featuring the Man of the Match interview with our matchday announcer Sam Roberts or straight into the CMC Marquee with live music from the returning fan favourite Stay tuned to social media over the new few days for details to join our half-time kicking competition in partnership with Genesis Bedford Stout by Brewpoint will be formed of three Chiltern Learning Trust Schools in Bedfordshire; namely Putteridge Make sure to give them a cheer as they step out onto the pitch to form the pre-match tunnel. Please support our pitchside team and allow a swift flow of the action on the hallowed turf by returning match balls kicked outside the playing area as soon as possible Those caught keeping match balls will be asked to leave More new stock to browse; open from one hour before KO half-time and post-game; browse the collection from replicas to leisurewear The easiest way to purchase tickets is in advance online to save a massive £4 on all adult prices, click here to buy A second try in as many games from Kennedy Sylvester alongside a match winning score from Nathan Michelow in the 78th minute provided two big moments for the Saracens’ loanees Seven of the eight Sarries players started the game from the off Angus Hall wore 15 alongside Max Clark in the centres and Brandon Jackson on the left wing The Men in Black had three representatives in the back row Max Eke joined last week’s Player of the Match Reggie Hammick and vice-captain Nathan Michelow After scoring for Ampthill last time out in their defeat to Coventry Kennedy Sylvester lined up in the second row once more James Isaacs also found a place on the bench making a significant impact during the final moments of the game in which the A’s came back from a 14-0 deficit in the first half Ampthill return to Dillingham Park next weekend to face Hartpury in their penultimate fixture before Christmas Saracens legend Alex Goode will make his 400th club appearance next weekend as the Men in Black welcome Newcastle Falcons to StoneX Stadium who has dedicated over 17 years of his career to Saracens joins an elite group of players to have reached 400 appearances for a single professional club Last year’s Ampthill Young Player of the Season Charlie Bracken returned to Dillingham Park after some valuable Premiership Rugby experience in the opening rounds Brandon Jackson and Josh Hallett also accompanied him in the backline and Angus Hall all came off the bench in what was a physical battle with Caldy The Sarries contingent were heavily involved in proceedings with former Saracen Richard Barrington getting the first score of the afternoon before Josh Hallett set up the A’s second try with an impressive line break James Hadfield also found himself on the score sheet just before the break giving the hosts a commanding 19-7 lead A resurgence from Caldy at the start of the second half was soon put to bed by an intercept score from Brandon Jackson who alongside Hadfield was featured in the Championship Clubs Podcast Team of the Week Academy players Declan Murphy and Fin Bloomer also made appearances for Ampthill’s 1881s side against Richmond Saxons Bloomer played the full 80 minutes at loose-head prop with Murphy making a considerable impact off the bench in a 45-7 victory for Ampthill Kennedy Sylvester and a player of the match performance from Reggie Hammick wasn’t enough to topple the second tier’s highflyers as Cov ran out 21-27 winners at Dillingham Park After returning from injury during the Premiership Rugby Cup Olly Hartley returned to the A’s starting alongside fellow Saracen Brandon Jackson in the backline who finished off a well worked move for a first half score In the pack Kennedy Sylvester lined up in the second row opening the scoring within the first 10 minutes Reggie Hammick also made his imprint on Championship rugby showing great pace and footwork on the outside to score and picking up the player of the match award on just his second Championship appearance James Isaacs accompanied former Saracens Richard Barrington and James Flynn as front row replacements for Ampthill Academy prospects Charlie West and Declan Murphy were also amongst the replacements as well as Max Clark who made his first Ampthill appearance whilst on trial with the Men in Black After impressing on his return to Dillingham Park Olly Hartley was later announced as part of the Championship Team of the Week for his work in maroon and gold Ampthill now sit 10th in the Championship table with a trip to London Scottish on the cards this weekend Bedford Blues won their first points of the Premiership Cup campaign with a bonus point 26-6 victory over Ampthill in front of a busy crowd on Friday night 3,845 fans were in attendance as a brace of tries from Dean Adamson and Tommy Herman secured maximum points as well as the Battle of Bedfordshire bragging rights under the floodlights at Goldington Road Ampthill had been scoreless in their last two encounters against Ealing and Bath but they were on the board almost immediately from the kick off as visiting captain Josh Barton pinged over a penalty in the opening moments The home side hit back straight away; Dean Adamson collecting his own kick on the left wing to score his 134th try in Blues colours and with Maisey sending over the conversion Bedford were 7-3 ahead in a pulsating beginning Only an early injury to Ampthill’s Valentino Mapapalangi punctured a pacey start although the visiting side threw away a golden opportunity to regain the lead after Arthur Thomas couldn’t hold on to the ball with the try line at his mercy as Alfie Garside broke clear on the right wing shortly after His pass inside found Alex Day and he in turn found Blues’ perennial try scorer An excellent Barton penalty reduced Bedford’s lead to eight points and although Ampthill pushed for a try towards the end of the first forty minutes they went into the sheds 14-6 behind at half-time A series of early penalties gave Ampthill the initiative as the second half began scrappily but once again they couldn’t capitalise with the game continuing to be notable more for its mistakes than its quality the ball was almost exclusively in Ampthill territory as the Blues turned the screw towards their third try which duly came Maisey’s conversion made the score 21-6 with a little over a quarter of an hour for Ampthill to find a response again thanks to a big shove on the near side with Tommy Herman also claiming a brace as Bedford’s fourth try put the game out of sight for Ampthill Every visiting attack ended with a blast of the referee’s whistle against the away side as Ampthill once again left a game without a try on the board It’s been 254 minutes of action since their last in what has been a torrid few weeks for Paul Turner’s men The encounter petered out in a haze of knock-ons bringing an end to an attritional encounter that saw Bedford run out 26-6 winners The win puts five points on the Premiership Cup scoreboard for the Blues but they will need some special results if they are to progress from this tough pool Bath to come at Goldington Road in a little over a fortnight That will complete the first cohort of cup fixtures with the reverses taking place during the next international break in February Bath and Bristol face off on Saturday lunchtime in the other encounter in Pool D while Harlequins and Sale beat Ealing and Caldy respectively in the other two fixtures taking place on Friday night The A's won 19-32 in Oxfordshire to tick off their first league win since early December Three Men in Black representatives were featured in the match day squad for Ampthill this weekend Alongside former Saracen Richard Barrington Kennedy Sylvester and Barnaby Merrett both started in the pack against Chinnor with young hooker James Isaacs coming off the bench senior academy member Tayo Adegbemile featured for Loughborough Universities National League side Adegbemile started at blindside flanker in their National League Two West clash with Bourneville on Friday night in which the African Violets ran out 49-7 victors on the crumb the Saracens academy prospect managed to cross the whitewash under the lights helping to continue Loughborough's good momentum in the competition Assistant Referees – Jonathan Cook & James Cornell We sat down with Joe Gray ahead of the return to the RAG for the first time in over a month “It’s great to be back playing in front of our home fans It feels like a long time since we’ve played in Richmond and I know the whole squad is excited to get back and put on a show at the RAG Ampthill are always a strong side and not a side we’ve got a great record against frankly We know how difficult it is to beat so we will have to be at our best to get a result on Saturday.” The two sides last met at Ampthill in March Ampthill ran away eventual winners in what was an incredibly entertaining game so that's an achievement that won't be missed by us but we know we've got three more games to keep building on that." Henry Pollock and his band of brothers pulled off a remarkable heist in Dublin on Leinster to make them believe anything's possible Ampthill’s Paul Turner has become the second Championship Head Coach/Director of Rugby to leave their post midway through he season Two months after Richie Williams stepped down from his role as Cambridge boss popular Welshman Turner has decided to call time on a remarkable 14-year stint at the Bedfordshire club who stayed true to his attack-minded approach as a player in coaching will now concentrate on his consultancy position with Dragons RFC Before Ampthill, Turner coached at Sale and Bedford in a player-coach capacity before having brief spells at Saracens, Rugby Lions and Gloucester Turner then joined Harlequins, who won the European Challenge Cup during his time at the club, before he returned to Wales to coach the Dragons Turner spent five years at the Dragons and was named Magners League Coach of the Year in 2010 I have decided to end my role as Head Coach of this fantastic club It has been an amazing 14 years,” said Turner “I would like to thank all the players and staff who I worked with over this time I would particularly like to express my immense gratitude to Director of Rugby He has provided me with terrific support and help in so many ways without which our successes would not have been possible I will be focused on my existing consultancy position with Dragons.” joined Ampthill in 2011 as a consultant and became Head Coach in 2012/13 engineering the club’s rise from National 3 Midlands to the Championship where they have survived and thrived in their six seasons in the second tier of English rugby despite being a part-time outfit Mark Lavery said: “I consider Paul as a close personal friend the town and the district is absolutely incredible I will always remember when we pulled up at our first away game at Esher in National 1 one of the Esher committee members came over and said they knew of us by the end of the game because PT led us to a 4-try bonus point win on the road.” Former All Blacks flanker Craig Newby has been appointed head coach of the English Championship's bottom club Join free and tell us what you really think Henry Pollock and his band of brothers pulled off a remarkable heist in Dublin on Leinster to make them believe anything's possible Is the Queensland boss the right man to lead Australia forward And will Joe Schmidt be tempted to stick around for Rugby World Cup 2027 Northampton Saints found a way of beating the fabled Jacques Nienaber blitz and inflicting another 'horrific' Champions Cup loss on the Leinster giants Bit disappointed on this she gave English Womens Rugby such a boost would have liked to have seen a few seasons at the coalface vs a 6 month temp contract It’s like tackle school 101 Start on your knees as the other 10 year old walks towards you It isnt just how he hits it’s his positioning and pace He got skinned by Ramm (I think) for the first try He chased the kick but could deal with a small swerve then turned slower than Freddie Stewart on an ice rink He really is a great prospect and if it wasnt a Lions year everybody would give him another year to improve Sasha keeps my heart in my mouth with his head on tackling He has made some very dominant tackles for the Stormers in the past few games and also he is a great cover defender Manie has made some classic corner flag tackles to save tries If the 10 is retiring to backfield he should be sweeping - that didn’t work out too well for SP He just doesn’t seem to have the appetite for tackling - he plays more like Naas Botha of old He’s a highly skilled rugby player I remember similar discussions about Sexton He’s been pushed forward by Leinster because of what he’s been doing in training Frawley has been put back as a utility player The Byrnes are both probably leaving Leinster and I agree with most of what has been said on this post He should have been sent out to Connacht or Ulster to gain more experience before being made no 1 Fly in Ireland My comment about stats was a lead-in to how having good tackle completion stats don’t necessarily mean you're a good defensive team The Brumbies game a few weeks ago was when I became concerned about Les as a Wallabies coach and I haveh’t seen enough to be anything more than hopeful he’ll succeed Looks like a beefier Oli Mathis Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I am as neutral as can be but I agree with your reservations He was D coach for the Boks in 21/22 and their record in those years on D was shocking in 21 50% wins and a draw and in 22 when his should have come into his own a few wins early season against Wales Argentine and Somoa followed by six losses in the last seven games Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> Well Nick you have to wonder what the long term plan is for RA I cannot think that they would appoint Kiss only to have Schmidt back in 2027 but then it is a world cup year on home soil so perhaps that is the plan I reckon RA need to target the 2027 world cup as it seems like their best opportunity 2031 is so far away and who knows what the state of the game in Aus will be like at that point Also the squad isnt exactly bursting with talent which you could confidently say will be there come 2031 especially when you consider how young players are being hunted by foreign clubs 2027 must be the target and I just wonder if Kiss is the right man to win it all in 2027 He has not shown enough at Ulster or London Irish to be considered the main man and his Reds side while really good are hardly pragmatic and are prone to some whacky reversals like the one suffered in Fiji For me Kiss is not the man for 2027 yet he has the top job but he will bring continuity and wont tear up the gameplan so at least they wont be starting from scratch with a new coach In a way he was just about the only appointment they could make at this stage Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> He’s a loose cannon on D TL The unpredictability can be a great addition on attack but on D you need someone to be reliable and disciplined It would be asking a huge amount from Les to lead Aussie into a WC with a 15-month runway which is why I feel Joe has not quite let go yet I think McCarthy is a very over-rated player 14-man French team in 2024 is all he has done Prendergast I feel sorry for - a few good games at u20s and because he plays for Leinster he gets the international gig Aki and Ringrose are first choice and have been for years Henshaw cannot affect an 80 minute match anymore multi-phase power game doesn’t work he doesn’t have the pace Keenan looked the fittest player in rugby two years ago but in last years game v England and this weekend he looks well off the pace not being picked for the Lions really helped Ireland in 2022 as Sexton Lowe and Ryan had storming seasons if I remember rightly If those players were picked for the Lions would they have won that series England players suffered a lot in 2018 after the 2017 Lions so while its nice to have your teams players get Lions recognition it might not be the worse thing if they aren’t there either Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I think they need Joe’s overview there JS You don’t want a novice head coach at a home WC As you say both of Les’ teams at Irish and Queensland have tended to attack well but the output is uneven Mistakes in specific areas can come in bunches without correction - look at my previous pieces on the Reds’ lineout and exit strategy They often do not change even when something is not working At risk of flattering the Reds/Wallabies too much I fear they are at risk of potentially turning into a Scotland-esque team under LK - i.e. great set plays - but lacking the killer physicality/X factor to beat the top teams Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I thought Ryan had a shocker Nick and those clips make it explicit Hopefully the problem is sorted over the next few weeks or they’ll be cooked Interestingly there was a lot of emphasis from Waugh about winning between world cups and getting the system right Their D is better than UBB’s so grounds for hope Ed Squad will need a utlility back who can play both Ah they would have taken the 3 - Leinster teams of the recent past have prob erred more on the roll of the dice from short-range lineouts If he wasn’t injured I’d have James R starting with McCarthy Mostert works harder and is more reliable G Yes the pre-game commentary def did Leinster no favours Players and coaches say they don’t read the media but they do Surprising since the video they should have been watching was last year’s narrow squeak v the same opponents I’d still take Saints over Bath with both on their best day Ed Bath are good but they are not that good - c.f their result v Leinster compared to Saints The lad is overhyped Needs a season or two solely at club level to learn how to play the sportl as he struggles in almost every aspect of the game Shouldn’t be anywhere near the Irish squad Can’t lace Crowley's boots at this stage and pretty much the sole reason Ireland lost the Grand Slam To be fair to him though - it is a common problem of the D4 player Never as good as their thicko supporters tell you they are They love to spew inordinate amounts of ignorant 💩 - much like the Saffas and the other SH thickos I wouldn’t put it down to arrogance but there is def some sort of mental block there Bedford Blues ran in six tries to keep local bragging rights firmly at Goldington Road with a 45-24 victory over Ampthill but sometimes it doesn't have to be on Derby Day and Blues will take huge confidence from the togetherness they were able to show on the field to get the result. Blues were a little hap hazard in the opening exchanges of the second 40 to allow Ampthill back into the game and the visitors narrowed the gap to just seven points on two seperate occasions. But Blues held firm to run in a flurry of tries late on and secure the full five points, setting up a mouthwatering clash with Coventry under the Friday Night Lights. Both sides on 38 points in the table, similar points for and against, no love lost between the pair - it's going to be a cracker! Buy tickets here. credit to both kickers who were both faultless off the tee - Will Maisey adding fifteen points and never looking in doubt Man of the Match Joel Matavesi scored twice a rarity in terms of his career but thoroughly deserved Joe Howard and George Smith also chipped in with crucial tries. It wouldn't be a home game without a customary Dean Adamson try moving to just seven points away from becoming the club's greatest ever marksman And his try in this one was mightily important oo That huge game with Coventry comes next and after some tough recent history against the West Midlands outfit we'll really need our #BluesFamily behind us to get a positive result A crowd of 3,318 for this one and we hope for similar under the lights. BUY TICKETS NOW AT DISCOUNTED RATES *Matchday Photos provided by Jonathan Paice and Simon Fraser* London Scottish put in a disappointing display at Dillingham Park against long time rivals Ampthill as they failed to pick up that all important victory Ampthill flew out of the traps early and scored four tries before half time to register their bonus point and all but kill the game before the break The first half was categorised by errors from London Scottish as well as Ampthill pouncing on key moments Scottish of pride themselves on winning the ‘crumbs’ and pouncing on a loose ball coughed up off a contestable kick or a 50/50 challenge today it was Ampthill who won almost all of those and as a result had broken field ball to play with all afternoon the first half also saw Ampthill dominate at scrum time winning crucial penalties that would advance them down the field and prevent the Exiles from getting any territory Scottish knew going into the second half they needed to react and react fast Ampthill once again came out the blocks faster and scored just after the break This seemed to spark Scottish into life as they worked the field position for a maul try from distance which involved almost the entire fifteen Ampthill then looked to shut the game down and did so expertly Not allowing the game to loosen up and were able to control proceedings eventually leading to another score from the home team Scottish once again responded with a lovely score from Roma Zheng as he beat off a number of defenders down the right hand side to set up a lovely score in the corner Ampthill would once again hit back with one of their own before Jonah Holmes found a gap in the middle of the park to streak clear for a try of his own Scottish will feel disappointed at their performance One that never got going against a side they have traditionally struggled against Going into a week off before visiting Bedford Blues the side must find answers to this slump before the end of the season London Scottish have named a strong team to face Ampthill this Saturday With a number of changes coming through the return of Harlequins loanees as well as injuries to front line players Joe Gray and Bryan Redpath will be looking for a first victory over Ampthill since taking charge in 2022 Sean Kerr and Ben Waghorn return to the side in the centres as they look to make a big impact in the Championship before the end of 2024 Cameron Anderson also returns to the side in the backs as he continues his development In the pack the side remains largely unchanged The back five of the scrum is as it was for the trip to Ealing with Wilkinson Up front Ashley Challenger comes in to start alongside Austin Wallis and Tom Osborne Ampthill had six Saracens in the forwards including a full front row of Sam Crean Samson Adejimi and Harvey Beaton and a second row of Kennedy Sylvester and Kaden Pearce-Paul Blindside flanker Max Eke also turned out for the A’s rounding off the Sarries representatives in the pack A half-back combination of Charlie Bracken and the returning Louie Johnson was a welcome sight for fans of the North Londoners Sam Spink lined up alongside Ampthill’s Fraser Strachan with Josh Hallett named amongst the replacements Brandon Jackson rounded off the Saracens selection in the A’s squad it wasn’t to be for the visitors as Ampthill lost 45-24 against a strong Bedford side all points for the A’s did come from Saracens representatives Harvey Beaton and Brandon Jackson as well as a 100% conversion rate from Louie Johnson Ampthill pushed the Blues throughout the game but the hosts prevailed continuing their Championship charge Johnson kicked off the scoring off the tee with an early three points on his return to competitive action following over two months on the sidelines Charlie Bracken then managed to dot down with a clever pick-and-go to bring Ampthill back into the fixture with Harvey Beaton and Brandon Jackson also both scoring in the second half Ampthill now face Chinnor next weekend in a crucial tie heading into the business end of the campaign London Scottish are looking forward to hosting Ampthill in the return of Championship Rugby to the RAG on Saturday 7th December Kicking off at 3pm the match will be preceded with a past players reunion lunch attended by London Scottish legends and internationals galore It promises to be an exciting occasion on and off the field as London Scottish chase their first victory over Ampthill in the Championship Make sure to book your place for lunch and secure your tickets below the people of Ampthill will come together in strength and in hope as the town hosts the inaugural Ampthill vs Cancer 5K — a groundbreaking community event with one powerful goal: to raise funds and awareness for vital charities providing support for locals affected by cancer Cancer will affect one in two people in their lifetime That staggering truth means it’s not someone else’s problem And behind every survivor is a story of courage The Ampthill vs Cancer 5K is the town’s way of honouring those stories What makes this event even more powerful is the people behind it Ampthill vs Cancer has been created by residents of the town who know the reality of cancer firsthand They’ve each raised money for specific cancer charities before but this time they wanted to do something different — something collective they chose to support the charities that support Ampthill and the surrounding areas - it’s about giving back to the services that were there when they needed them most Participants of all ages and abilities are invited to run or walk the 5K route through Ampthill Park Funds raised will directly support three local charities that are changing lives every single day part of the Bedford Hospital Charity & Friends provides free daily transport for Ampthill residents receiving cancer treatment at Addenbrooke’s money and stress during one of the most challenging periods of their lives — yet it relies completely on donations to cover its £30,000 annual running cost Known for its compassionate and holistic care Willen supports patients facing terminal illness with dignity Despite being a critical part of the local healthcare system only 12% of its funding comes from the NHS — the rest must come from public support donations will also go to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) the official charity of Addenbrooke’s Hospital — Ampthill’s regional hub for pioneering cancer treatment a state-of-the-art Cancer Research Hospital that will shape the future of diagnosis and care across the UK the event will also feature a special Golden Hare Mile for children This family-friendly race is inspired by the legendary 1980s treasure hunt that captured the imagination of the world and ended right here in Ampthill Park beneath the shadow of Catherine of Aragon’s Cross It’s a chance for the next generation to feel the power of community the park will come alive with live music and a laid-back community picnic — a chance to celebrate and reflect in one of Bedfordshire’s most beautiful spaces Local businesses are stepping up to support and sponsor names like Spencer & Co Mortgage Specialists The Engine and Tender and Ampthill CrossFit have pledged their support generous services have been donated by Bonfire Creative Intelligence and Synrgistic — proving what’s possible when a community comes together Every pound raised will go directly towards care MKFM always wants to hear your stories about your city Female last seen five days ago has tattoo above her eye Will your canine pal get a round of a-paws this year Witnesses and dashcam footage sought after Redway theft The Junior NBL season came to an end in Manchester last weekend with two Breakers teams crowned national champions after emerging triumphant at the Final Fours If you've missed the latest on social media here's what we've been up to this month Charity astronomy evening to support life-changing community work Red Bull secured double points after a fierce Max Verstappen claimed his third pole position of the season as both Red Bull drivers reached Q3 ahead of tomorrow's Miami Grand Prix Poor weather created the perfect storm for a chaotic Miami Sprint Race © 2020 MKFM Limited - Radio Made In Milton Keynes. Powered by Aiir Tickets for Bears’ 2024/25 Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures against Bedford Blues and Ampthill at Ashton Gate are on general sale now Bears welcome Bedford Blues to BS3 in the pool stages on Saturday November 2nd (3pm KO) before hosting Ampthill on Sunday General sale tickets for our games against Bedford and Ampthill are available in the Lansdown Stand wings from £5 and Center seats from £10 February 15th (3pm KO) will go on sale at a later date The Battle of Bedfordshire resumes under the Friday night lights at Goldington Road tomorrow (8 November) as Bedford Blues welcome local rivals Ampthill in the latest round of the Premiership Cup Both sides suffered at the hands of quality Premiership opposition last week but return to familiar territory as both sides look to gain their first points in Pool D There’s free entry for serving members of the Armed Forces as we approach Remembrance Day both sides are looking to bounce back from defeat in the opening round of the Premiership Cup; Bedford Blues falling 67-19 at Ashton Gate against an in-form Bristol Bears Read: Bristol score eleven tries in comfortable victory against Bedford Blues Ampthill have fared extremely well in this fixture since their promotion to English rugby’s second tier in 2019 but Mike Rayer may sense that the Blues’ closest rivals are fragile having conceded 165 points without getting on the scoreboard in their past two fixtures Last week’s loss to Bath was preceded by a 92-0 thrashing by Championship leaders Ealing with Ampthill’s Director of Rugby but I hate being totally out-fought and outclassed.” the Blues’ own Director of Rugby will be wary that a sturdy response from Ampthill may be on the cards after a torrid fortnight for the visitors Mike Rayer has made nine changes from the starting line up that took to the field at Ashton Gate five days ago with an all-new front row selected as Jamie Jack and Oisin Heffernan will scrum either side of James Fish while Jac Arthur and Fred Tuilagi are back in the seven and eight jerseys respectively Matt Worley is unavailable after being called up to the Hong Kong squad to face Brazil in the Autumn Nations Series behind Joel Matavesi who comes in to replace Alfie Garside at inside centre Alex Day is also back in his familiar scrum-half position as last week’s starting number nine James Lennon drops to the replacements bench Tickets for the clash can be bought here or on the gate at Goldington Road The final round of the Premiership Cup pool stage is due to take place this weekend and while Bedford Blues cannot qualify for the quarter-finals a mouth-watering local derby against Ampthill takes centre stage for the final competitive rugby action in over a month This is Bedford Blues’ final competitive fixture before Championship action resumes at Hartpury on 22 March and while the Blues do face the British Army on 14 March Mike Rayer and his coaching staff will hope they can finish an intense block of fixtures on a high on Saturday Rayer’s men made headlines with a pragmatic and complete performance against Bristol Bears last Friday night; winning 23-14 to cause one of the shocks of the round as the Championship gained plaudits for their club’s performances in round five Read: Bedford Blues beat Bristol Bears to claim deserved Premiership Cup shock Bedford have proved to be tricky customers in this pool as the Premiership heavyweights have trialled some second string players but the Blues now face familiar opposition as they look to finish the cup stage with a third win Ampthill – currently 10th in the Championship – have had some difficult days in this competition including shipping over 70 points to both Bath and Bristol but have got the better of the Blues on occasions since their Championship debut in 2019 Bedford beat Ampthill 26-6 in the reverse cup fixture at the beginning of November but derby day can often be unpredictable and with little on the line but local pride the latest reincarnation of this fixture could be an eventful one Read: Bedford Blues muscle to bonus point in Premiership Cup win over Ampthill the Blues have beaten Ampthill 45-24 in the league but the Mob have home advantage this time round as Mike Rayer makes six changes to the starting line-up that so impressively beat Bristol last time out Joey Conway and Tommy Herman resume duties in the usual changes to the front row although Oisin Heffernan remains at tighthead prop with Joe Howard completing the changes to the pack as he returns in the number six jersey Jake Garside returns to the right wing for just his third appearance of the season while club captain Alex Day begins from the off at scrum half Joel Matavesi is the sixth and final change at inside centre with Michael Le Bourgeois dropping to the bench again while Dean Adamson remains unavailable After a couple of weeks of unfamiliar kick off times for both sides this contest begins at the slightly more traditional start of 2pm on Saturday 15 February at Olney Field Fans can purchase tickets via the Ampthill Rugby website here Ealing Trailfinders will travel to Dillingham Park to face Ampthill on Saturday (5 April 2025) The match is scheduled to kick off at 3:00pm Ealing is coming off a comprehensive victory against Nottingham at home They will aim to replicate that strong performance this weekend Ampthill secured a narrow victory over Caldy Ampthill sits in 8th position on the table and will be looking to upset Ealing Trailfinders similar to their home win against them last season Ealing remains 12 points clear at the top of the Championship table A win in this match will put them in a strong position as they prepare for an important fixture against Bedford in a couple of weeks. SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE EALING.NEWS NEWSLETTER EALING.NEWS is the voice of our 7 towns which provides news sign up to our newsletter email us: news@ealing.news call us: 07488 352 974 Follow us on X: @_EalingNews © 2022 - 2025 EALING.NEWS All rights reserved | Part of Your Local News Network | Contact Us This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible More information about our Cookie Policy Home > News > Powerful Cov forward effort delivers sixth straight league win A powerful second half in which their lineout and maul played significant parts clinched Coventry a hard-earned bonus-point win at Ampthill After going behind to an early Kennedy Sylvester touch-down Cov built a five-point interval advantage through tries from Suva Ma’asi Brandon Jackson had by then added a second score for the Bedfordshire-based hosts who took the lead for a third time early in the second half through Reggie Hammick’s long-distance effort But thereafter Coventry’s pack took control and with the Mob losing two players to the sin bin and conceding 12 second-half penalties the game was eventually secured by Tommy Mathews’ penalty and Tom Hitchcock’s late try As a result Alex Rae’s table-topping team erased the memory of last season’s Dillingham Park setback and extended their winning league run to six ahead of next Saturday’s BPA clash with Hartpury Playing with the support of a gusty breeze Cov found themselves on the wrong side of the referee’s whistle in an opening period largely played between the two 22-metre lines When Ampthill no.8 Lekima Ravuvu escaped down their right the hosts built a lengthy attack that ended with visiting centre Hitchcock being yellow carded for a deliberate knock down And the hosts took advantage of their numerical superiority to release Sione Vaenuku deep into Cov territory then work the ball to the opposite flank where the supporting Sylvester forced his way over for a try that fly half Josh Barton converted Cov responded almost immediately through a fine score finished by Ma’asi who was lurking on the left wing to benefit from a long Tiki Nayalo pass following David Opoku’s break After the pacy Opoku was denied a seemingly certain score by a brilliant piece of cover defence from the corner-flagging Jackson Cov’s forwards drove a lineout diagonally fully 20 metres for Lane to dot down a try that Mathews improved the Blue-and-Whites’ advantage was short-lived since a missed tackle on halfway allowed Ampthill scrum half Roan Frostwick and Sione Va’enuku to send Jackson to the posts for a score that Barton again upgraded The fifth score of an entertaining half went to the visitors whose lineout drive again made good progress before a long pass allowed Hutler to step inside for a try that Mathews converted This left Cov with a 14-19 interval advantage but now playing with the wind Ampthill soon took advantage of a turnover to send Hammick racing 30 metres to the line for a try to which Barton added the extras Having twice previously opted not to take three points from the tee as the contest entered the fourth quarter skipper Jordon Poole asked Mathews to edge the visitors back ahead with a well-struck 37-metre penalty Cov’s forwards then turned the screw and as a result Ampthill lost replacement hooker James Isaacs to the sin bin after they repeatedly infringed inside their own 22 Another long spell of Blue-and-White pressure then ended with Hitchcock going over for the bonus-point clinching try and home centre Ollie Hartley receiving a yellow card for his deliberate knock-down earlier in the move The missed conversion left Ampthill within range and although their 13 players managed to force a couple of penalties the visitors held firm to take their league tally to 29 points from a possible 30 Frostwick (Murphy 64); Courtney (Barrington 51) Thomas, who has officiated games in the men’s and women’s Premierships, was hit by a clearing kick from Hartpury’s Harry Bazalgette in the 28th minute of the game in Bedfordshire. Read moreThe referee was treated on the field before being taken off on a stretcher to supportive applause from the crowd with the game called off a few minutes later The Gloucestershire side Hartpury kicked off fifth in the second-tier table and led their hosts 14-0 after tries from Ethan Hunt and Aristot Benz-Salomon who scored shortly before the incident involving Thomas An Ampthill statement said: “Our thoughts are with Alex for a swift recovery We appreciate that the decision is disappointing for supporters who have travelled to the game but our priority is the health of the players and match officials.” confirmed the fixture will be rearranged in due course and all original tickets will be valid for the rematch Championship Rugby are yet to comment on Saturday’s abandonment Free weekly newsletterThe latest rugby union news and analysis Ealing Trailfinders went top of the second-tier table after thrashing Cambridge 95-7 Doncaster won 22-0 at home to the bottom club This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response 24 NOV 2024BookmarkPaddy Pearce of Bristol Bears on the burst against Amphill (Photo by Rogan/Bristol Bears)It's game day Bristol Bears host Ampthill on Sunday in their third pool stage game of the 2024/25 Premiership Rugby Cup. The Premiership Rugby Cup game kicks off at 2pm and is not on TV so the best way to follow the action is right here. Follow all the build-up, team news, live play-by-play match updates, reaction, stats, analysis and highlights from Ashton Gate with regular updates below... Comments15:50KEY EVENTFULL TIME - Bristol Bears 40 Ampthill 15Job done for Bristol Bears who finish with six tries in the 40-15 win over Championship side Ampthill to secure their spot in second in Pool D with three more group games to come during the Six Nations period. Comments80 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Ampthill - 40-15Amphill get a second consolation try, which actually could have an impact on Bristol's qualification later on as points difference is likely to be important. We are not sure on the scorer but will get is soon. Josh Barton adds the conversion with an excellent touchline kick. Comments77 minsJohn EvelyA lucky bounce for BristolSam Worsley dinks a little chip over the top of the Ampthill defence, lofting it nicely with his sandwedge of a boot, and Joe Jenkins races onto it to regather the bouncing ball. But the attack breaks down as Bristol get isolated through Siva Naulago. Comments70 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Bristol Bears - 40-8The Bears are on the attack in the opposition 22 and Oscar Lennon throws a long miss-pass to replacement winger Aidan Boshoff who has an easy finish in the corner. Sam Worsley adds a fine conversion from the left touch line. That is a peach of a kick. Comments68 minsJohn EvelySo close to an interceptionBristol flanker Ed Timpson attempts to throw a wide pass but Ampthill full back Fin Parker reads it perfectly and has a clear run in, albeit from 70m out, but he can't hold on. Comments66 minsJohn EvelyBristol struggling to get anything going in the second halfThe Bears have a scrum 10m into their own half but Oscar Lennon is pounced on as he plays the ball at the back and Bristol lose possession and have to suddenly turn and defend. Comments59 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Ampthill - 33-8The visitors are over and it is a fine try. The ball is moved wide and big winger Kerr Johnston breaks the tackle of Sam Worsley, who is defending on the wing, and opens up his long legs to score in the corner. Josh Barton narrowly misses with the left touchline conversion effort. Comments57 minsKEY EVENTYELLOW CARD - Bristol Bears - 33-3Benjamin Grondona pays the cost of the Bears shelling a series of penalties in the last few minutes and is given 10 minutes off the pin as he comes in from the side to try and stop Ampthill scoring under the crossbar. Comments57 minsJohn EvelyBristol defending their lineThe Bears are creeking abit. The hosts concede two quick penalties defending within 10m of their tryline, on both occasions Ampthill tap and drive for the line. They are stopped, but only just. Benjamin Elizalde comes close to intercepting a wide pass but knocks on trying to take the ball above is head. Comments52 minsJohn EvelyAmpthill having more of the game in the second halfIt was really one-way traffic in the first half but Ampthill have had much more possession and territory in the first 14 minutes of the second half. Mind you they haven't come close to scoring. Comments48 minsJohn EvelyBristol unlock Ampthill's defenceBenjamin Elizalde takes the ball deep in his 22 and takes off on a diagonal run, asking someone to cut a line off him and Toby Fricker responds allowing the Bears full-back to slip a pass back inside to the Welshman who can open up his legs. Unfortunately, having got up to halfway, the USA international passes to Will Capon on his right rather than the more expansive options on his left and the attack breaks down. Comments46 minsJohn EvelyPlayers splashing in puddlesIf you were in any doubt just how wet it is out there, despite the quality of this Ashton Gate pitch, the players are splashing around in puddles out there every time they go to ground in the second half. Comments15:03KEY EVENTSECOND HALF KICKS OFFJosh Barton gets the name back underway for Ampthill. Bristol have taken off captain Yann Thomas at half time with Louie Trevett on. Comments14:48KEY EVENTHALF TIME - Bristol Bears 33 Ampthill 3The Premiership side's young guns are getting the job done at Ashton Gate with five tries at half time.. With just a five day turn around to Friday's Premiership match away at Harlequins, Pat Lam has named a side almost entirely of players who won't be involved at The Stoop. The overall summary of the half is about the conditions which is wet, wet, wet! I mean really wet! Comments40 minsKEY EVENTDROP GOAL MISSED - Ampthill - 33-3Interesting option. Josh Barton sees there is nothing on and the fly-half decides to have a drop goal from the edge of the 22 but his connect is horrible and it misses wide and low. Comments35 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Bristol Bears - 33-3Oscar Lennon is over for Bristol's fifth of the game and it is the best yet. Joe Jenkins shrugs off a tackle and breaks the line, running with the ball in two hands he makes 15m before drawing the last defender and feeding scrum half Lennon who cleverly uses the wet turf to slide in. Comments33 minsKEY EVENTYELLOW CARD - Ampthill - 26-3Ampthill tighthead prop Callum Norrie is shown yellow for his part in illegally bringing down the Bears driving maul for the penalty try. Comments33 minsKEY EVENTPENALTY TRY - Bristol Bears - 26-3Bristol launch a long, spread out driving maul that speeds towards the tryline with little opposition in front of them, finally Ampthill come in from the side to stop the drive just short of the line and referee Mike Hudson awards a penalty try. That is the attacking bonus point wrapped up. Comments32 minsJohn EvelyEarly change for the BearsBristol have named two hookers on their bench today and one, Tom Doughty, is called into action early but as a replacement for flanker Ed Timpson who goes off for a HIA. Comments30 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Bristol Bears - 19-3Bristol captain Yann Thomas is over for the hosts' third try of the day, powering over from a metre out after the hosts launched from a 5m tap penalty following repeat offences from the Championship side who are throwing everything at stopping the Bears. Sam Worsley converts from right in front. Comments26 minsJohn EvelyBristol inches from the lineBristol give a show of Premiership power as Siva Naulago and Will Capon both come up with meaty carries to get the Bears to with a couple of inches of the line. Ampthill fight for their lives to stop the close range drive over and Oscar Lennon looks to the backs, throwing a wide misspass that gets picked off by fly-half Josh Barton but the referees blows his whislte as we were playing advantage from an earlier penalty. Comments22 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Bristol Bears - 12-3This is not going to be a day for pretty rugby and the Bears go for the industrial route from the 5m lineout. Will Capon takes no risks and throws to the front pod for Paddy Pearce to take. The maul is set around him and the drive comes on as Bristol maul Capon over the line to touch down. Sam Worsley nails the conversion from wide out on the right with a lovely strike. Comments19 minsKEY EVENTBreak from deepQuick hands from Benjamin Elizalde in his own 22 sets Harry Rowson free into space and the outside centre takes off, he has options on either side of him but fails to give the pass. But Ampthill give up a penalty as a lazy runner blocks scrum half Oscar Lennon and the hosts kick to the corner. Comments14 minsKEY EVENTTRY - Bristol Bears - 5-3The Bears are over in the corner. Benjamin Elizalde uses his dancing feet to suck in a couple of defenders before slipping the ball to Harry Rowson who hugs the left touchline and takes the catch to touch down right near the corner flag. Sam Worsley pushes his left touch line effort across the face of the posts. Comments12 minsKEY EVENTPENALTY GOAL - Ampthill - 0-3Bristol double up on their errors. The ball gets lost in the Ampthill 22 and kicked long. Benjamin Elizalde takes the ball just inside his half but gets tackled and knocks the ball on. Bristol try and regather the ball on the ground illegally to concede a penalty. Ampthill call for the tee and fly-half Josh Barton dissects the posts from 40m out with the visitors' first visit into the Bears' half. Comments14:13John EvelyKnock on Bristol lose patience with being patient as Siva Naulago takes a short ball from Sam Worsley but then throws a poor offload that gets knocked on. Mind you if he had got the ball away it was probably a try. Comments8 minsJohn EvelyBristol playing more conservative In the heavy, heavy rain, the Bears are noticeably not throwing the dangersou offloads in their DNA. That is wise really, but it means Ampthill are able to combat the attack in front of them despite a few bright carries off ten, with Will Capon catching the eye with a burst just moments ago. Comments6 minsJohn EvelyArgentina star standing outBenjamin Grondona makes two big impacts in the space of a minute, rising high at the back of a lineout to take a throw from Will Capon. Moments later he pops up with a big carry, coming back against the grain to make inroads. Ampthill concede a penalty and Sam Worsley kicks deep to the corner. Comments4 minsJohn EvelyKnockWill Capon spots a gap and picks up and darts through it but the Bristol hooker loses the ball in the wet and knocks on That is the first of what I fear could be many knock ons today Bedford Blues finished off what has at times been a memorable Premiership Cup group stage with a combative 21-7 victory against Bedfordshire rivals Tommy Herman and Fred Tuilagi were enough to see the Blues to 14 points in Pool D of the Premiership Cup which has seen them beat Premiership high-flyers Ampthill twice in two bone-crunching encounters and this one was no different in a cold and muddy affair at Olney Field The home side came out of the traps with intent but were unable to muster any points despite Luke Frost’s fifth minute sin-bin and they were made to pay as it was Bedford who opened the scoring In their first attack forward after a period of defence kept the Mob at bay Louis James was on hand to dive over the game’s first try collecting Will Maisey’s grubber kick and touching down Maisey converted from the tee to give Bedford a tenth minute Maisey’s conversion took him past 1,500 career points and his contributions would not end there as he would convert the Blues’ second try which came for Tommy Herman off the back of a rolling maul Ampthill’s attacks were largely spearheaded by Byron Sharwood but they wouldn’t get near the Blues’ try line as Mike Rayer’s side went into the sheds with a 14-0 lead Bedford’s third try came in the early throws of the second half as Fred Tuilagi powered over with Maisey converting again but it would be the last of the scores from the Blues who didn’t get a bonus point come the eighty minute mark assisted in helping Ampthill eventually get on the scoreboard with 66 minutes on the clock with Sharwood providing the final pass for Evan Mitchell to stroll over and it gave the home side a new lease of life as they attempted to mount a comeback having the most of the final fifteen minutes They could not find a way through the Bedford defence however who stood firm once again to hold off Ampthill and seal a 21-7 victory that completes their cup campaign for another season Bristol Bears held up their side of the bargain in pursuit of a quarter-final berth but lost out despite running in six tries against pool leaders Bath go on to face Harlequins in the last eight while the Championship is represented by runaway leaders Ealing who finished second in their pool and travel to reigning Premiership champions Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals on 1 March Newcastle Falcons vs Gloucester and Exeter Chiefs vs Sale Sharks complete the quarter-final lineup there is now a long break with competitive rugby returning on 22 March as Bedford Blues travel to Hartpury looking to cement second place in the Championship looking to stay out of a relegation battle with Caldy and Cambridge Bedford Blues do also host their annual charity fixture against the British Army on 14 March, and you can buy tickets here. Article updated at 12:50pm on Monday 17 February 2025 to include news of the quarter-final draw The clash between Ampthill and Hartpury was halted after official Alex Thomas was injured The Championship match between Ampthill and Hartpury was abandoned after the referee appeared to be knocked out having been struck by the ball The match in the English second tier was halted 28 minutes in with the decision made not to resume after the incident involving official Alex Thomas With visitors Hartpury leading 14-0 after early tries from Ethan Hunt and Aristot Benz-Salomon a clearing kick from fly half Harry Bazalgette hit Thomas The referee was treated on the field before being taken off on a stretcher “We regret that this afternoon’s game had to be abandoned after 28 minutes of play due to an injury to referee Alex Thomas,” Ampthill confirmed in a statement “Our thoughts are with Alex for a swift recovery We appreciate that the decision is disappointing for supporters who have travelled to the game but our priority is for health of the players and match officials “The fixture will be rearranged in due course and all tickets will be valid for this game.” seven points and three places ahead of their opponents in the table who confirmed this week that they intend to apply for promotion to the Premiership Should they meet the criteria required by the top flight to go up, the Championship winner will face the bottom finisher in the Premiership in a promotion/relegation play off at the end of the season. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies It’s time for the second local derby of the season against Ampthill as Bedford Blues return home looking to consolidate their position in the top four of the Championship table (Gates 12pm; Kick Off 3pm) Save £4 by purchasing tickets online; click here to avoid disappointment and get yours now! The start of a season defining week for Mike Rayer’s side with Derby Day this Saturday followed by Friday Night Lights versus Coventry next Important league points up for grabs as the table gets tighter before the Premiership Cup window throughout February Blues have started to turn the momentum in this fixture in recent years to take a 9-8 series lead and will need the #BluesFamily behind them again this Saturday Mike Rayer’s men will be very wary of the threat Ampthill always pose at Goldington Road and unlikely to know their line-up until Friday it’s expected to be another humdinger Dovecote Park Suite and all private suites SOLD OUT the only availability left is in the CMC Marquee Serving a revamped hearty menu this season don’t miss out on a unique experience in great atmosphere this Derby Day Hospitality spaces are also limited for the upcoming clashes against Coventry and Bristol Bears; contact us ASAP to reserve Get behind your team right from gates opening at noon and sample all we have to offer around GR Grab a programme on your arrival and head to one of our venues on site This matchday with the weather set to improve try any of our seven public bars and four eateries The mini fan village remains ever popular; with No.7 Coffee mobile truck There is a new bar situated between the CMC Marquee and SDC Suites to ease the queues Alternatively head inside to either the Scrum Bar Taylor’s Kitchen at the Scrum Hall serving hatch and Chicken George from The Burrow outside hatch from KO Pre-game find your spot with a big crowd expected and soak up the music and atmosphere of a derby Blues Foundation along with Blues players will be wandering round the pitch with giveaways for the next generation the Rebel Bar hosts the continuation of ‘Final Whistle’ featuring the Man of the Match interview with our matchday announcer Sam Roberts, Alternatively head straight to the marquee with live music from the returning Jodie Erica on the mic one in’ policy for live coverage of the Champions Cup; featuring Leinster v Bath (KO 5:15pm) Please give them a cheer as they step out onto the pitch to form the pre-match tunnel Multiple Eco Cup return points will be available around the ground including at the bars enabling them to continue the fantastic community work they provide across the county Matchday Partner – Bedfordshire Police Recruitment Interested in helping your local community Representatives from the Bedfordshire Police Recruitment Team will be with us Didn’t receive Blues merch in your Christmas sack Our Club Shop is open from two hours before kick-off half-time and full-time; browse the entire range and wear your colours Blues Women also contest their inaugural outing of 2025 this weekend as they entertain Stamford at GR this Sunday (KO 2pm) The first of four consecutive home matches for Eddie Rennell’s side with additional outings on 23 Feb Blues Women have an unbeaten record against Stamford – get behind them as they look to keep pace with Peterborough at the top of NC1. Tickets just £2.50 online here. Tickets for both matches this weekend are discounted online so get yours in advance for the best savings, click here to buy. Bedford Blues have been drawn alongside Ampthill Bath and Bristol Bears in Pool 4 of the revamped 2024/25 Premiership Rugby Cup Cup fixtures will take place in windows across November and February with all dates and KO times already agreed and found below Blues return to Ashton Gate for the first time since 2018 to kickstart their cup exploits before welcoming Ampthill for the first under the Friday night lights Bedford host Bath at Goldington Road in a tantalising clash against the historic rivals from the West Country Mike Rayer’s men will make a rare trip to the Rec before returning home for the last time in the pool stage against Pat Lam’s Bears Blues conclude with the short hop down the B530 The winners of all five pools will advance automatically to the Quarter Finals of the competition with the three best runners up also joining them in the last eight Knockout fixtures will take place in March 2024/25 Premiership Rugby Cup Pool Phase Fixtures Saturday 2nd November – Bristol Bears v Bedford Blues (KO 3pm) Friday 8th November – Bedford Blues v Ampthill (KO 7:45pm) Saturday 23rd November – Bedford Blues v Bath (KO 3pm) Friday 31st January – Bath v Bedford Blues (KO 7:45pm) Friday 7th February – Bedford Blues v Bristol Bears (KO 7:45pm) Saturday 15th February – Ampthill v Bedford Blues (KO 2pm) All three home matches are included in this year’s Season Ticket Package with individual match tickets for all men’s matches released later today Keep an eye on social media for confirmation and secure your spot early Bath – 23rd November (H) & 31st January (A) Blues will travel to the Rec for the first time since 2000 The last win over Bath was at Goldington Road back in April 1987 Bath lead the overall series with 25 wins to Bedford’s 21 Bristol – 2nd November (A) & 7th February (H) After last season’s cracking mid-season encounter both will look to put on some similar entertainment when meeting in competitive action for the first time since Bristol’s promotion season of 2017/18 The match at GR commemorates 100 years since the first meeting between the sides back in 1925 Despite some recent success including a triumph at Ashton Gate in 2015 Bristol dominate the series overall with 60 wins compared to Blues’ 21 and one draw Ampthill – 8th November (H) & 15th February (A) No fixture has been more frequent than Bedford v Ampthill since the Mob’s promotion to the Championship in 2018/19 – four meetings this season across all competitions will take it to 20 encounters in just over five years The two sides have had their respective moments throughout that time including away successes for both last season but can either Bedfordshire side take a Premiership scalp and push towards the knockout stages Ealing Trailfinders secured an outstanding 92-0 victory at home on Saturday (19 October 2024) against Ampthill in their round five Championship fixture The hosts impressively scored 14 tries in total and denied the visitors a single point for the entire 80 in what can only be described as a clinical performance from the hosts There were individual tries from Francis Moore with Reuben Bird-Tulloch and Tobi Wilson scoring braces as well as a hat-trick from Tom Collins It was an unfortunate opening minute for the visitors with winger Wilson Ijeh shown an early yellow for a deliberate knock-on Trailfinders immediately capitalised on the extra man advantage as Reuben Bird-Tulloch opened the scoring with a brace of tries within a matter of minutes of one other Tom Collins made it three for the Trailfinders in his first score of the game executing a perfectly weighted chip-and-chase Tobi Wilson secured the bonus point before the 20-minute mark with his first try diving over from the back of a powerful rolling maul which became a running theme throughout the game Collins followed it scoring his second as he finished off a lovely counter-attack once again as Ampthill were struggling to deal with the attacking flair The hosts had one more on the cusp of the break with Willemse over at the back of another driving maul Half-Time Score- Ealing Trailfinders 45-0 Ampthill The second period opened with yet another flurry of tries with Trailfinders scoring three within five minutes Collins started it by making an acrobatic finish to take Trailfinders to 50 points and Montgomery saw that and thought he could do one better with the number eight scoring an outrageous superman finish of his own in the corner Collins secured his hat trick after putting a perfect grubber through which he gathered and scored but picked right back up when Rayn Smid went over at the back of yet another driving maul for the hosts Kernohan followed it with a finish from yet another graceful counter-attacking score There were two more tries for the Trailfinders before the full-time whistle Cornish got in on the action at the back of a rolling maul and Francis Moore scored our last after a grubber and chase On the event of Craig Hampson’s 100th appearance for the club the squad put in an outstanding performance as they make the charge towards the top of the league Full-Time Score- Ealing Trailfinders 92-0 Ampthill In a game played in very difficult conditions at the RAG Alec Lloyd-Seed and Cameron Anderson linked up for what was a beauty of a try Ealing Trailfinders ran out 17-53 winners over Ampthill at Dillingham Park in Round 15 of the Championship on Saturday (5 April 2025) afternoon Jordy Reid and Angus Kernohan meant Trailfinders came away with all five points Ben Ward’s men extend their lead to 13 points at the top of the Championship table There was an electric start to proceedings in Ampthill when Ben Harris broke free down the left-hand touch line He found Dykes with an inside ball and the fullback raced over inside 30 seconds Ampthill hit back moments later; fly-half Josh Barton spotted some space in-behind and chipped over the top He collected the bouncing ball and got the hosts on the scoresheet Trailfinders’ captain Willemse powered over from close range after multiple pick and go phases The visitors extended their lead when Reid broke off the maul and he was helped over the line by Matas Jurevicius After a sin bin for Ampthill’s Charles Rylands Trailfinders played some free-flowing rugby Farrar secured the bonus-point before the break as he found himself on the end of a two-man overlap Half-time: Ampthill 5-26 Ealing Trailfinders There was also a fast start to the second half Harris was able to weave his way through multiple defenders and cross the line with Ampthill players hanging from him This time the ball was moved wide from a line-out and the winger found himself in space and ran in untouched Keronhan came off the bench hungry to make an impact Tom Collins put a grubber in behind which was not dealt with by the Ampthill defence allowing Kernohan to drop on the ball and score raced to the line and dived over to score his brace Trailfinders did not take their foot off the gas throughout the 80 minutes quick hands saw the ball moved out to the right-wing and Harris completed his second-half hat-trick Full-time: Ampthill 17-53 Ealing Trailfinders Conversions- Dan Jones 2 13 27 Craig Willis 66