Saracens v Bedford Sunday 11th April at 13:00

[ExAviator]

A fairly strong team Saracens team to face Bedford Blues:

15. Elliott Obatoyinbo
14. Sean Maitland
13. Elliot Daly
12. Duncan Taylor
11. Alex Lewington
10. Manu Vunipola (original selection was Owen Farrell but he has a minor strain)
9. Aled Davies
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George ©
3. Vincent Koch
4. Maro Itoje
5. Joel Kpoku
6. Andy Christie
7. Jackson Wray
8. Billy Vunipola

Replacements

Ethan Lewis
Ralph Adams-Hale
Alec Clarey
Callum Hunter-Hill
Janco Venter
Tom Whiteley
Juan Pablo Socino
Dom Morris

[Mellsblue]

Bedford Blues:

Starting XV:
15. Rich Lane, 14. Pat Tapley, 13. Elijah Niko, 12. Reuben Bird-Tulloch, 11. Matt Worley, 10. Tommy Mathews, 9. Connor Tupai; 1. Emmanuel Iyogun, 2. James Fish, 3. Henry Paul, 4. Will Carrick Smith, 5. Lewis Bean, 6. Ollie Newman, 7. Joe Atkinson, 8. Tui Uru

Replacements:
16. Jacob Fields, 17. Sean McCarthy, 18. Ed Prowse, 19. Oli Curry, 20. Oli Robinson, 21. James Lennon, 22. Will Maisey, 23. Tom Litchfield

[Peej]

Joe Atkinson really never got a fair crack of the whip at Wasps

[Raggs]

Joe Atkinson really never got a fair crack of the whip at Wasps

He was in the same intake as Morris right? Behind a couple of other options. Neither he nor Morris got a huge amount of time, I guess Wasps stuck with the one they thought would be best value for money.

[Peej]

Joe Atkinson really never got a fair crack of the whip at Wasps

He was in the same intake as Morris right? Behind a couple of other options. Neither he nor Morris got a huge amount of time, I guess Wasps stuck with the one they thought would be best value for money.

That's right. I think Morris slightly edged it in appearances that first year (due to injuries and needing a bigger 6 rather than a fetcher-type 7) and evidently Wasps made the call, as you say.

[francoisfou]

Allez les bleus!!

[Peej]

And? How did it go?

[TheNomad]

Not well for Bedford!

[Mellsblue]

We were absolutely marmalised in the scrum, no surprise given how callow the props were, and they smothered us in d. In the second half, once the game and bp were well secured, they opened up and it was a good close(ish) game. Bedford scored the try of the match which was some consolation. Joe Atkinson was Bedford motm for the second/third time this season.

[Mellsblue]

Bedford v Richmond this weekend. From playing the Prince to playing the pauper.
The reason I post is that Mark Hopley will be on comms, along with Sam Roberts, so there should be some good insight on the Saints academy players, if Saints fans are interested.
Tickets here:
https://bedfordrugby.co.uk/tickets