Rayer Leaves RFC Post

By Andrew Collins
May 16 2005

Cardiff favourite Mike Rayer has left his post at Cardiff RFC to re-join his former empleyers, Bedford Bulls. In an out-of-the-blue turn of events, Rayer was offered a 3-year deal to become director of rugby, a position he felt he could not refuse.

Rayer had spent 12 years with Cardiff before leaving to join Bedford 1st time round in 97/98 and admitted then, 'It was a tough decidion to leave the Arms Park'. He returned to Cardiff in the 98/99 season playing out the rest of his career until retiring in 2001. After spending 14 seasons with Cardiff, making a total of 369 appearences, he took up a coaching role with the U-21 cardiff side only to be promoted to RFC manager when regionalisation took over.

His two yerars in charge of Cardiff RFC have seen two good campaigns with the latter particulaly successful, his side have not lost at the Arms Park for 10 games and finishing a respectable 8th in the league of 17.

"The opportunity to work as director of rugby is fantastic and it is something that I am really looking forward to." Said rayer who will now not be touring Canada with the Capital club side.

Giving his reasons for leaving the Arms Park, Rayer said, "I made many friends in Bedford when I was there previously and I consider it an honour to be asked to go there again in a new capacity."

"Obviously it's a wrench to leave the Arms Park but I have to consider job security for myself and my family. I would like to thank the supporters here, particularly in the season that's just finished as they really got behind Cardiff and we made real progress as a team."

He joins former clubman Matt Allan, who played under Rayer last season and who captained the Bedford Blues to this years Powergen Sheild.

Many will see Rayers deparure as a discrace from the board with Mike genuinnely being a hot prospect in Welsh management. Questions will be asked about why Mike was never promoted to the Blues set-up, especially with the loss of Geraint John. The credntials of Mike are there for all to see, and coming in to fill Geraints position is unexperienced Rob Howley. This may have been a big factor in Mike leaving if he believed he would never get higher than RFC manager.

He has been a supurb club servent who i'm sure many Arms Park faithful would want in charge of the Cardiff Blues in the near future.

As for the now vaccent RFC spot, it is possible that Llanherren coach Dennis John is possible, but it is expected to be be an outsider who will be looking to improve on what Rayers done. A favourite who would be looking at the spot with great intrest is John Humpreys who recently signed up for a coaching role with Bath, but the vaccency may tempt him to get experience with RFC before oneday making the switch to the Blues.