Ex-Bath man happy to take the plunge
Prop attracted by Blues ethos
With former Bath players Nick Walshe and Chris Goodman having already tested the Goldington Road waters, new signing Laurence Ovens had no hesitation in jumping right in to join the Blues.
And the 24-year-old prop was glowing in his praise for the ethos and atmosphere that has been created at the club by director of rugby Mike Rayer.
On the former Welsh international and long-term Blues chief, the former Bath and Newcastle Falcons front-rower said: "I know Nick from when I was at Bath and Chris Goodman and they've spoken very highly of the club and how it is run and the style of rugby they play.
"It makes it more familiar when you know people who have been there a couple of years."
"It's a good club. It's a very, very good club. They are well coached by Mike and the other coaches and they are a talented group of players."
Ovens may have come up against a few of the Blues pack before, but many of the players are new to him.
He said: "I've played against a number of them and with Chris Goodman.
"There's a lot of new faces so it is good to get myself wih the squad and know the forwards. It's a close knit squad and seems a good group of lads."
And while he admitted the Blues were interested last summer, he revealed that things never really progressed, but felt that this time it was right to move to Goldington Road.
Ovens continued: "Last year the brief conversations never progressed really. I was talking to Newcastle at a similar time.
"The conversations weren't vast at all. This year is a cracking opportunity. They've got one of the best teams in the league and Mike runs the club really well."
Having signed for the Falcons last term, Ovens managed eight Premiership appearances for the Falcons, to add to the nine he managed when he was at Bath.
And now the 6ft 1ins forward is looking to cement a place in Bedford's starting XV and help to power them into the play-offs.
He said: "On a personal level I want to play as much rugby as I can.
"At Newcastle last year I was fortunte to play quite a lot, but not as much as I would habe like to.
"As a team the aim is to make the play-offs and go as far as we can in the British and Irish Cup.
"As long as we are hitting our straps when we come towards the play-of games, that needs to be the main aim.
"It's going to be a very competitive league. A lot of teams are going to be wary of Worcester who came down from the Premiership.
"A number of teams cna bet a number of other teams on any give day too."
Ovens currently has a young family back in Bath, but is coping well with the situation.
He said: "The majority of training is in evening.s It's something I'm managing very comfortably at the moment."
And Ovens is looking forward to the Blues renowned style of free-flowing rugby, adding: "I like to get my hands on the ball and be as effective as I can be.
"They are happy to give the forwards that responsibilty. It's not scripted.
"Some other teams in the league choose to play a different way.
"From my point of view one of the most attractive things is they like to play an open style of rugby as well as have strong forwards."
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Weather for Bedford
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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