Irvine and a consortium of businessmen came to the rescue of the club in October 1999, when, after a tumultuous six months under the ownership of Jefferson Lloyd International, its very existence had come under threat.
With Irvine at the helm, Bedford became a model of sustainability off the pitch and an attractive proposition on it, with the Blues playing an exciting brand of rugby under his longtime ally Mike Rayer, still DoR after all these years.
New Zealander Colin Jackson and South African Rudi Straeuli were in charge before Rayer came on the scene in 2005, and both say their time at the Blues has had a lasting impression on them.
Former Springbok head coach Straeuli experienced the unique atmosphere of Goldington Road as a player and then a coach, once Jackson left in 2004 and he needed a new challenge away from South Africa.
“It was very straightforward,” says Straeuli, from his now chief executive officer of the Golden Lions in Johannesburg. “It was post the 2003 World Cup, and all of the fallout I was experiencing.
Denne historien er fra May 30, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra May 30, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
