Le Bourgeois latest to graduate from Rayer’s elite finishing school

POPULAR centre Mike Le Bourgeois will leave Bedford with a heavy heart but says the offer to join Wasps was too good to refuse.

Le Bourgeois, 27, has become a cult hero at Goldington Road since joining from Jersey in 2013.

But he now has a chance to follow other ex-Blues favourites, Billy Twelvetrees and Josh Bassett, by making it big in the Premiership. Le Bourgeois, above

right, said: “It was a surprisingly tough decision to leave Bedford. It’s been a brilliant place for me and I owe the people there a lot, but this is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

“I didn’t want to regret anything and I’m excited – I want to really push myself and see how far I can go.

“You look at guys like Billy Twelvetrees and Josh Bassett who’ve made the move up from Bedford and done well, so I hope I’ll get an opportunity at Wasps because I feel there’s plenty to come from me and I can play at a higher level.”

A gifted playmaker who started as a No.10 at Jersey but switched to 12 at Bedford and was voted Championship player-ofthe-year at last week’s RPA awards dinner, Le Bourgeois has flourished under Bedford boss Mike Rayer.

He said: “Matt Banahan was the only Jersey boy who’d ever come across so it was quite a big thing when I came five years ago, but the style of play at Bedford has allowed me to express myself and Mike has looked after me really well.

“I love playing at No.12 now and being a second playmaker suits me fine.

“My defence has improved and, like a lot of Championship guys who are making the step up this summer, I’ll hope to make a mark and do really well in the Premiership.”