Northampton Saints will take on Bedford Blues on Friday 13 September in the first fixture within a new format for the Mobbs Memorial Match.
One of rugby’s oldest annual fixtures, the Mobbs Memorial Match was created in 1921 and honours Saints legend, World Rugby Hall-of-Fame inductee, and World War One hero, Edgar Mobbs.
A new format was agreed last year between Northampton Saints, Bedford Blues, East Midlands Rugby Union, Army Rugby Union and the Mobbs Memorial Trustees – which now sees Saints and Blues contest the fixture annually.
The new era will commence on Friday 13 September (kick-off: 7.45pm) at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens when Northampton host Bedford, ahead of the start of the Gallagher Premiership the following weekend.
Tickets for the fixture go on general sale at 12pm on Monday 22 July from £12.50* (adults) and £7* (child). £2.50 / £2.00 from every adult / child ticket sold will be donated to the Mobbs Memorial Fund, with other fundraising activities to take place at the match with further detail to be shared in the build up to the fixture.
The match is included in all 2024/25 Saints Season Ticket Holders’ packages, with a priority window now open for purchasing extra seats until 12pm on Monday 22 July.
The match has always supported the charitable aims of the Mobbs Memorial Fund, which promotes the development of age-group rugby throughout the East Midlands by way of grants to clubs within the East Midlands Rugby Union – and this will continue within the fixture’s new format.
Saints’ Chief Executive, Mark Darbon, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this prestigious match in the first year of its new format.
“Whilst Bedford are our partner club with whom we have fantastic working relationship, the on-field rivalry remains strong and I am sure it will be a compelling contest ahead of the start of our league campaign the following week.
“We want to see this fixture continue to evolve and hopefully grow in the years ahead, which is why we made a tweak to the format last year.”
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive at Northampton Saints
“While remembering Saints legend Edgar Mobbs, the match has the interests of youth rugby within the East Midlands at its core, and we’ve seen excellent attendances for preseason fixtures between Saints and Blues since our partnership began in 2020.
“So, we are confident this new format will continue to raise important funds each season for the Mobbs Memorial Fund – which does fantastic work — and continue to grow the legacy of such an historic fixture.”
Mobbs played for Saints between 1905 and 1913, making 234 appearances. Upon his retirement from playing, and his denial of an officer commission upon the outbreak of World War One, he formed what became known as the ‘Sportsman’s Battalion’. 264 men, led by Mobbs, largely made up the 7th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, of whom only 85 survived the war.
Mobbs was not among them, having been gunned down leading an assault on a machine gun post during the Third Battle of Ypres. His body was never found, but his legacy lived on.
The legend continues.
— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) February 22, 2023
From 2024/25, the Mobbs Memorial Match will be contested annually between Saints and our good friends @BedfordBluesRFC 🤝
A Mobbs Memorial was unveiled in 1921 before thousands of people in Northampton’s market square. Later that year, the first Mobbs Memorial Match was contested between the East Midlands and the Barbarians, and the fixture was played annually between those sides until 2011.
Northampton and Bedford then played host for the match every year since 2012 when it was re-launched, with the two clubs going toe-to-toe with the British Army on a biennial basis at their respective home grounds, before the format was amended again last year – with the fixture now set to be contested annually during preseason between Saints and Blues.
Gareth Alred, Chief Operating Officer at Bedford Blues, added: “The Mobbs Memorial Match has a long and rich history, as does a traditional Northampton versus Bedford clash, so to bring both of those together in the latest format of the fixture, is something we all look forward to – whilst hopefully boosting our fundraising efforts for the Mobbs Memorial Trust.
“We were delighted for everyone at Saints on their recent success in lifting the Premiership title, and now we get to test ourselves against the best in the country.”
Gareth Alred, Chief Operating Officer at Bedford Blues
“Continuing our strategic relationship with our near neighbours, we hope to see many previous, current and future Blues in action on both sides.”
Bob Taylor, a Trustee for the Mobbs Memorial Fund, said: “It is a real pleasure to see the annual Mobbs Memorial Match continuing with Northampton and Bedford agreeing to designate an annual preseason fixture for the event.
“Games between the two Senior East Midlands Clubs are always well supported, which the Mobbs Trustees hope will continue as all member Clubs who organise Mini-Junior sections can benefit financially from the funds raised.”
TICKETS
- The match is included in all 2024/25 Saints Season Ticket Holders’ packages.
- A priority window is now open for Season Ticket Holders to purchase extra seats HERE until 12pm on Monday 22 July.
- Tickets will be placed on general sale HERE at 12pm on Monday 22 July.
- Tickets for the fixture are priced from £12.50* (adults) and £7* (child). £2.50 from every adult ticket sold will be donated to the Mobbs Memorial Fund, with other fundraising activities to take place at the match.
* subject to £1.50 booking fee.
