Rayer vows to tackle more than 'big guns'

BY JAMES CUNLIFFE

Mike Rayer is set for a tough season and believes it’s the smaller clubs that Bedford Blues must focus on rather than the glamour ties against former Premiership opposition.

A provisional fixture list for the 2010/11 Championship campaign was released on Thursday, setting upamouthwatering curtain raiser as Bedford Blues host Plymouth Albion. The Goldington Road club will also end the regular season with the return fixture in Devon.

Bedford face a challenging Christmas period as losing play-off finalists Bristol come to town on Boxing Day before a trip to Cornish Pirates in the NewYear.

Before that, relegated Premiership outfit Worcester Warriors make the journey to Bedfordshire onOctober 16, but the Blues’ director of rugby is sure that the Championship will be a much more demanding division than last time out.

“Now that the fixtures are out it has whetted our appetite and we can start to look forward to the season,” he said. “We start training on Saturday and really the start of the campaign is some way off but we can see now that there are some key months.

“We don’t really look at the fixtures and target any games in particular, it’s just important for us to get in and work hard but to have a home game to start is great for us. The Christmas period is going to be tough with Bristol on Boxing Day and then going down to Cornish Pirates for the next game.

“Our focus is not usually on the big guns because those games tend to take care of themselves. It’s important to look at the lesser sides wherewemight be expected to win. There will be a lot of good teams this year.

“I think Cornish Pirates will be the side to beat, but I expect London Welsh to be strong.

“Rotherham will be a tough nut to crack and it is great to have Esher back in the division.” Preparations for the campaign are almost complete but Rayer revealed there is one piece of the jigsaw left to fill.

He said: “I’m happy with the squad we’ve got. We are still trying to fill the loose head berth and we have been talking to a player. He came out of the blue and was someone worth chatting to but there is no deal done yet.”