BEDFORD RUGBY

Regal Communications Limited is very pleased to be associated with First Division Rugby Union Club ‘Bedford Blues’. We are currently a Gold Partner of The Blues and hope that the relationship between Regal Communications and this successful Rugby Club will continue for many seasons.

Bedford RUFC was founded in 1886 and has a history of great successes. In their early years the club where well at the top of the sport and actually played a touring All Blacks side.

A period of huge success during the thirties resulted in many of the squad members getting international recognition.

These glory days where back again during the sixties and seventies with three Bedford players regularly in the England team with David Perry and Budge Rogers captaining their county. In 1969-70 season Bedford won the Sunday Telegraph English-Welsh Rugby Table. Probably, the Blues finest hour was in 1975 when Bedford, captained by Budge Rogers beat Rosslyn Park in the final of the Knock Out Cup (now the Powergen Cup) at Twickenham 28-12.

At the start of the 1996-97 season when 'The Blues' were in Division 2 the club turned professional. Frank Warren (the boxing promoter) and Sports Network putting in a big investment to secure quality players, many of whom were internationally famous, while others were young but promising. The best example is probably Scott Murray who has since been a regular in the Scottish side. Although players such as Martin Offiah, Rory Underwood, Andy Gomersall, Mike Rayer, Junior Paramore, Paul Turner and Rudi Straeuli have all played for the Bedford Blues.

At the second attempt Bedford easily won the Allied Dunbar Division 2 Championship in 1998 and were promoted to Division 1 (now the Premiership) and were runners up in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Cup.

Financial problems with the club's owners resulted in the club losing many players but there was a nucleus that remained loyal. The Club Coach and Director of Rugby also left.

Bedford RUFC are now owned by local businessmen and the supporters and are rebuilding for the future. The current squad has many players who have played international rugby and have ambitious plans for the future.

This season 2004/05 was capped with a fantastic cub run in the Powergen Shield and after a nail biting final at Twickenham Bedford came out victorious beating Plymouth Albion14-13.

Click here to read about Ben Whetstone