Rugby Union: Bedford Blues put Jersey"s win on a plate for them - Mike Rayer

Brendan Burke, playing his final game, scores a try

Bedford Blues ended their disappointing season with a 41-31 home defeat to Jersey today with their director of rugby Mike Rayer feeling the result was down to their failure to keep hold of the ball.

Jersey came into the game needing to win to stay in the Championship and produced an intensity that the Blues just didn’t match.

They were dominant in the set-piece with three of their four tries coming from driving mauls and they were also aided by the hosts’ poor handling – a blight that’s afflicted them too many times in the campaign.

It all meant a sad end to the Bedford careers of club stalwarts Sacha Harding and Brendan Burke, who both made their final appearances at Goldington Road.

Rayer said: “Credit to Jersey because they’ve come here and done a job, but unfortunately we’ve put it on a plate for them.

“I’m massively disappointed because that’s as poor a performance as we’ve had for a long time.

“It was about our errors today because we’ve given away too many line-outs, the scrum went against us and we were just dropping the bloody ball.

“It’s just frustrating – it’s down to poor execution and ball skills and we are not going anywhere unless we get the basics right.”

Despite his annoyance with the result and performance, Rayer paid tribute to Harding and Burke, two of the longest-serving players at the club who have been a big part of the successes in previous years.

He said: “It’s been an emotional day and they’re two great guys who have been a real backbone of this club for a long time now.

“We wish them well for their futures and hope that they’ll have successful careers after rugby.”

Irish centre Burke, who plans to go into coaching next season, marked his farewell by scoring one of Bedford’s four tries.

But he too found the afternoon to be a disappointment, saying: “I felt we played all the rugby today, but they had a stronger pack which caused us a lot of problems.

“Last week we had a good set-piece with a good line-out but unfortunately today we struggled and got pushed off the ball, although we scored some nice tries.

“It’s sad to leave because I’ve got family and close friends around here but I’ll definitely be back here so I’m not turning my back on this club yet.”

“I’ve had a few job offers to go into coaching so I’m looking into those right now.”

Article source: http://www.irb.com/jwc/news/newsid=2067275.html

Rugby Union: Bedford Blues put Jersey"s win on a plate for them - Mike Rayer