MIKE Rayer thinks some members of his squad are going to have to do something special to get into the team after Bedford Blues 51-3 thrashing of Plymouth Albion.
With several new signings not starting and sitting in the stands to watch Bedford’s season opener, Rayer (right) wants them to work hard to get into the team.
“We are in a fortunate position that we have good competition for places,” said Rayer. “The guys in the stand have seen what they are up against and they are going to have to do something special to get in.”
Blues scored eight tries against a team that defeated them at Goldington Road last year and Rayer didn’t expect such an emphatic score line.
The director of Rugby said: “I didn’t for one minute wake up and think we would score 50 against Plymouth, but the one thing I was pleased with was the way that we did the basics really well. We created lots of opportunities and managed to finish them off.
I was a bit worried about that after the first 20 minutes we hadn’t scored and that they would come back into the game.”
Rayer was full of praise for Paul Tupai who he singled out as having an excellent game.
“I thought Tupai in the second row was magnificent, particularly in the first half,” said Rayer. “He stood up and was massive, put in influential passes and his work rate was fantastic. Of course the try scorers will get all the credit but it’s also about the 14 other lads who worked so hard to create so many opportunities. The lads like scoring, and that’s a good thing.”
However the Blues boss feels that the team’s hard work in pre-season will be better tested when they are in tougher situations.
The director of Rugby said: “When you are on the front foot like today it’s a lot easier to play, when you go forward but there are going to be times this year where we are going to be under pressure and that’s when our organisation will be tested.”
