Nick Fenton-Wells Named Blues Captain

Bedford Blues are pleased to announce that Nick Fenton-Wells has been named captain for the 2014/15 Greene King IPA Championship season.
 
The South African, who recently made the permanent switch from Saracens to Bedford Blues, will take over from fullback James Pritchard who has been skipper at Goldington Road for the past four seasons.
 
Speaking about the appointment, Blues Director of Rugby Mike Rayer said: "First and foremost I want to thank Pritch for his tenure as captain. He has been a true professional throughout and a fine leader of the team who has always let his performances do the talking. He has already cemented himself into the history books at Goldington Road and is a real modern day legend of the club. He is determined to make what would be a fourth appearance at a Rugby World Cup in 2015 with Canada, and that again would mark an incredible achievement in an already illustrious career.
 
"With a huge shift in personnel at the club I felt the time was right for a change in leadership and this will now free Pritch up to concentrate purely on the playing side.
 
"Thankfully in Nick we have a readymade replacement who has shown over the past two years what an impressive and natural leader he is. I have no doubt that Nick is the man to pick up the reins from Pritch and continue to drive the players forward with the help and support of the other leadership figures in the squad.”
 
New captain Nick Fenton-Wells added: "I am extremely proud and humbled to have been asked by Mike to captain the team and I am thoroughly looking forward to working with the coaches and squad to make sure we put last season behind us and get up the right end of the table next season.
 
"As soon as I arrived at Goldington Road I was made to feel welcome by everyone at the club especially our fantastic fans and I just hope that I can do everyone proud by leading the team forward both on and off the pitch.
 
"We've made a number of good new signings already this summer as well as retaining a number of very important individuals from the current squad and I'm sure that everyone will be looking forward to returning to pre-season training at the end of June. I know that I am.”
 
Another signing for the 2014/15 campaign is that of Blues legend Ian Vass who returns to the club for a third time but on this occasion it will be as Bedford's defence coach. Vass, who was playing for Old Albanians last season, has been coaching the Saracens Academy alongside Don Barrell since leaving the Blues after the Championship final last year.
 
Rayer said: "We are delighted to add Ian to the coaching staff at Goldington Road and I'm sure that he will play a very important role for us. Vassy started his coaching a few years ago and regularly assisted our own Academy before taking up the role with Sarries where he has developed a fine reputation. His experience and knowledge of the game as well as the ethos of Bedford Blues will no doubt have a real influence on all the players.”