Where Are They Now? Bedford's 2012/13 Champ Final squad

For the first time in 13 years, Bedford Blues will compete in the Champ Rugby Final at Goldington Road on Sunday.

A triumphant second-half performance in the 58-24 comeback win over Coventry earned the Blues a shot at the title, with Ealing’s conquerors Worcester now the only team standing between them and lifting the trophy.

Sunday’s match is a straight shootout whereas the 2013 final against Newcastle was played over two legs, both of which, unusually for Bedford matches, were attritional affairs dominated by kicks at goal.

The first match was played in front of 4,588 crowd at Goldington Road and ended in an 18-9 win for Newcastle, then known as the Falcons.

Being ineligible for promotion on account of their ground not being deemed good enough for Premiership rugby, the Blues went into the return leg at Kingston Park with no fear and put up a good account of themselves.

At one point, they were within a score of overturning the deficit, thanks to the accurate boot of Jake Sharp, but Newcastle scored the only tries of the match to win 31-24 on the night and 49-33 on aggregate.

Sharp, and Myles Dorrian in the first leg, were entrusted with the goal-kicking duties as regular points machine, James Pritchard, was sidelined with a broken arm. And Sharp didn’t anyone down, slotting seven penalties and a drop goal.

“It was a great occasion for me personally, I’d played about 100 games for Bedford at the time, and it was the biggest one of my career, and I’d been kicking well all year. To push a team like Newcastle so close was a great achievement for that group,” said Sharp.

“I remember them being incredibly nervous and tense about the occasion whereas we had the feeling that we had nothing to lose because we’d all be going back to our jobs on the Monday morning.

“Going into half-time I thought we might actually do it. I think we butchered a line break late in the second half that would have given us a chance of being within a point of the deficit.

“It’s a shame we didn’t cross the line. But it was a cracking event to be a part of.”

Sharp will be an interested observer on Sunday, not only as a former player but because of his role at Bedford’s partner club Northampton, where he works closely with young players like Archie Benson, Fyn Brown, Toby Thame and Amena Caqusau, who have spent much of the season at the Blues.

“A lot of our Saints lads are on loan at Bedford, probably 12 to 15 over different periods, so I do lots of watching of the Champ still, a couple of games a week. We’re always keep on eye on it and we recruit quite heavily out of the Champ,” Sharp added.

“I actually said to Toby Thame, do you know the last time Bedford were in the final? And I said, it was when I was playing. He said, ‘it must’ve been years ago then’!

“They are just excited about the occasion and for it to be at Bedford is incredible. I sent a video message to the group, reminding them to play their game, not the occasion, and I am sure Mike has got three or four of the old players to do that.

“For Bedford to win the Champ for the first time ever would be amazing.”

If Blues were to win, it would be a fitting tribute to former players, Mike Howard and Sam Walsh, who both died earlier this year.

Full-backs/wings

Josh Bassett
Blues’ top try scorer from the 2012/13 campaign (11) will be back on familiar turf this Sunday, as a member of the opposition. Like so many, Bassett used the Blues as a springboard for a successful career in the Premiership – with Wasps and Leicester, and is still going strong at Sixways, aged 34.

Ben Ransom
Rapid full-back, who was dual-registered at Saracens and the Blues. Also had spells at London Irish and Blackheath. Started both legs of the 2013 final. Now works as a strategy manager for an IT company in London.

James Short
Another of the dual-registered posse, who came to Bedford with a big reputation at a relatively young age, having scored the only try of the final in Saracens’ 2011 Premiership win. Had a brief spell at Wasps and London Irish before joining Exeter in 2015. A member of the Chiefs’ double-winning team, Short still lives and works in Devon, as a carpenter.

James Stephenson
Another to have played for both of Sunday’s finalists, having joined the Warriors directly from the Blues. Owns and runs a café-restaurant in Walthamstow, London.

Centres

Mark Atkinson
Classy centre who was picked up by Gloucester after two stellar seasons at Goldington Road, and went on to be capped by England. Spent a decade in Cherry & White. Now works in business development for a digital company.

Brendan Burke
Mercurial talent who helped make the Blues’ back line tick. Recruited from Leinster midway through the 2006/07 season and stayed for eight years, making 180 appearances. Had spells as a player-coach at Ampthill and Cambridge and then as coach at Coventry. Is backs coach of Peterborough RUFC.

Oli Dodge
Played in the same Blues team as his brother Alex and is the son of England 1980 Grand Slam legend Paul Dodge. Started the first leg and was on the bench for the second. Now works as a BT Open Reach engineer in the Midlands.

Fly-halves

Myles Dorrian
Aussie who kicked two penalties in the first leg defeat before making way at 10 for Jake Sharp. Currently working under his old London Irish boss Brian Smith at the prestigious rugby school, the Scots College, alongside being a skills coach with Sydney-based Manly Marlins.

Jake Sharp
Reckoned by Mike Rayer to be the most skilful player he has coached in over 20 years at Bedford. Still has plenty of contact with the Blues though his role as Northampton Saints’ kicking coach and transition manager.

Ian Vass
Versatile half-back, who could play nine or 10, and another ex-Saint. Won the Powergen Shield with Bedford in 2005. Has been coaching in France for the past three years, after a spell as Northampton’s defence coach, and is currently a skills coach at Stade Francais

Scrum-halves

Luke Baldwin
The Blues’ social leader was never far away from fun times on and off the pitch. Dual-registered with Saracens and Bedford, Baldwin made 61 appearances for the Blues between 2011 and 2015. Went to play for Bristol and then spent four seasons at Worcester before signing off at Dragons. Now works in the City as a senior client director for settlement and liquidity company, Vitesse.

Daryl Veenendaal
Made his club debut against Plymouth in 2010 and spent six seasons at the Blues before leaving for Nottingham and then Ampthill. Has had several coaching jobs since hanging up his boots, including a spell as head coach of the Blues’ Women’s team. But now works as a recruitment consultant in the building services sector in Loughborough.

Props

Phil Boulton
An excellent servant to both Bedford and Coventry, who he captained and stayed on to coach (scrum 2020-22) before embarking in a career outside of rugby. He works as a project manager for Birmingham-based paint and powder company, Frederick Cooper.

Ricky Reeves
Earned a Premiership move to Wasps at the end of the 2012/13 season whilst still serving as a soldier. He remains a sergeant in the British Army to this day, and has been head coach of Medway RFC for the past couple of years.

Dan Seal
Arrived at Goldington Road in 2009 after spells with fellow Championship sides Cornish Pirates and Birmingham & Solihull. Still a familiar face around the club, as his wife has been physio for the past two decades. Drives HGVs for a living.

Hookers

Neil Cochrane
A rich source of tries for the Blues in their run to the final. Completed a building surveying course during his first year at the club and has transitioned into commercial surveying post-retirement.

Scott Spurling
Understudy to Schalk Brits at Saracens and was sent to the Blues to get game time. Played 18 times on loan during the 2012/13 season anjd stayed on for another season before returning to his parent club. Forced to retire in 2017/18 due to a bad knee injury. Has been Head of Exports at Malibu Health Products Ltd for the past six-and-a-bit years.

Locks

Ben Gulliver
Well-travelled lock who played in the Champ for Coventry, Plymouth and Pirates, before experiencing top-flight rugby at Worcester and Leicester en route to Bedford. Ran Bedford’s community programme, whilst still a player, and has had a variety of jobs since then, including a spell coaching Albion. Currently works in sales.

Mike Howard
Sadly died in March this year after being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. Made 239 appearances for the club between 2008 and 2017, having joined from North Walsham RFC.

Paul Tupai
Legend of the club, and rugby, who played until he was 43, clocking up more than 250 games for the Blues. Mike Rayer says he was his best-ever signing (from Saints). Dabbles in asset management but spends most of his time on the golf course or tracking the career of his pro rugby playing son, Connor, who also played for Northampton and the Blues before heading overseas.

Back row

Don Barrell
Dynamic flanker who joined the Blues from Sarries in 2011. Once retired from playing, he spent over six years working for the RFU, as head of regional academies and head of performance programmes, before switching sports and becoming a coach mentor with the Premier League. Is currently CEO of London-based charity, Greenhouse Sports, as well as being a Non Executive Director of the Big Issue.

Nick Fenton-Wells
Was on loan at the Blues from Saracens during 2012/13 before the deal became permanent and he was appointed as the club’s captain. He says the semi-final win vs Nottingham was the most enjoyable of his career. Full of spirits, he was dared to swim across a river on the raucuous bus journey home and took it on and completed the challenge. Moved clubs, and position, when he became a hooker at Bristol. Retired from playing in 2019 and became Bristol’s team manager for a couple of years before entering the business world. A nephew of former Springbok coach Nick Mallett, Fenton-Wells moved to Australia earlier this year to take up a role as a manager of Deloitte’s M&A Consulting Services.

Darren Fox
Hard-as-nails flanker who joined the Blues after many years at Northampton. Has his own personal training business and also works as a strength and conditioning coach.

Greg Gillanders
Like Fox and Fenton-Wells, Gillanders started both legs of the final in an unchanged back row. Made an instant impact when he arrived at the Blues from Leicester in 2008, winning the Players’ Player of the Year award. After leaving Bedford six years later, he had spells with London Scottish, twice, and Blackheath, and has just finished the season playing part-time with Rosslyn Park, alongside his main job as a structural engineer.