Leading try scorer Josh in dreamland
b12-001 Bedford Blues v Cornish Pirates. Goldington Road. JE wk 1
STARTLED Bedford Blues winger Josh Bassett is dumbfounded by the impact he has made this season, writes Mark Wood.
STARTLED Bedford Blues winger Josh Bassett is dumbfounded by the impact he has made this season, writes Mark Wood.
Not only is he a regular for the Blues he is also the Championship’s leading try scorer with 17 in 20 games and has just been called into the England U20 squad to face Italy in the U20 Six Nations at Rovigo on Friday, kick-off 7pm.
He said: “If someone had told me last season I would be regularly playing Championship rugby I wouldn’t have believed them.
“It’s good but it’s down to the hard work in training and the other lads getting me into positions to score.”
However, he would readily give up that title come the end of the season if he could get the Blues promoted to the Premiership, which remains his ultimate place to play.
Bassett continued: “I would love to finish top try scorer. If it means me giving it up to get to the play-off final though I would more than happily do that. I would love to play in the Premiership and test myself out against the best. I would love to do that with Bedford, but I’ll take this season and see where it goes from there.”
The Blues currently sit third in the Championship table as they begin to eye the play-offs.
Bassett said: “I will take each game as it comes and take it into the play-offs with as high a position as we can. The league has shown everyone can beat one another and we will take it game by game. We showed against Worcester last year on our day we can be up there (the Blues lost their play-off semi-final 23-22 at Sixways with the Warriors eventually promoted to the Premiership). It’s trying to get to that level of performance and trying to do it throughout the play-offs.”
He’s been buoyed by the success of a number of Blues stars who have gone on to make their mark in the top flight, including the likes of Karl Dickson (Harlequins), Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers) and Luke Fielden (Newcastle Falcons).
Bassett continued: “It shows how strong Bedford is and the area and the coaching staff at the academy.
“They’ve brought me through and trained me. I think it shows Bedford is a great place for building talent and to take it further.
“With the likes of James Pritchard who has been to World Cups you are always learning here.”
The former Ampthill man has also been training with the England U20s in Coventry, Portugal and, most recently, Guildford and admitted it would be a dream come true to wear the Red Rose.
He has been named in the squad for the first time alongside Saracens dual-registered youngster Ben Ransom.
Bassett, 19, who is currently studying for a sport and exercise science degree at the University of Bedfordshire, added: “I played East Midlands at U17s. This is a whole new level to what I’ve done before. They’ve said to me carry on how I’m doing at Bedford and keep developing.
“If I get an opportunity to get involved in the U20 Six Nations I will.
“It’s a really good experience and all the boys are from Premiership clubs.
“I think it’s helping me progress. Playing with people at the top of your sport and age group, you will develop off of them. Nick Walshe (a former Bedford Blues coach) is there from last year so it’s good to meet up with him. He has taken a few drills down at Bedford so he definitely expects me to do the drills better than all the other boys.
“It’s definitely an ambition of mine to put the jersey on because I’ve never got to that level in any other sport and it would be a dream come true.”
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
