Michael Anthony Rayer
Michael Anthony Rayer, he gained hid first cap in the 1991 World Cup, as a replacement against Western Samoa, after joining Cardiff from the Llandaff North Club, from where he had skippered Wales Youth including a game against the touring South African Youth side before joining Cardiff RFC in the season 1984-85. He scored over 300 National League points in five seasons during his first spell with the Arms Park Club. Mike won a Wales 'B' cap as a replacement against France in 1987 and had a full match against them in 1989. He was the top scorer with 64 points in three games on the tour of Namibia in 1990 and after being an ever present in Cardiff's league games in 1990-91 and top scorer for the club with 190 points and also scoring a 161 points the season before. He replaced Nigel Walker against Japan and Scotland in 1993-94, scoring one try in the former and two in the latter from left wing. His big match try scoring continued with one for Cardiff in the 1994 Cup final and another for Wales against Fiji at Suva.
International Record: 21 caps (W13, L8; 23PTS - 4T,1P)
1991 World Cup: WS(rep),Arg,A(rep).
1992 E(rep),A.
1993 E,S,I,Zim(1),Nam,J(rep).
1994 S(rep),I(rep),F,E,Port,C,Fiji,WS,R,It.
Cardiff v Llanelli
July 1996 Rayer confesses: " I never wanted to leave Cardiff. I've had 12 great years with the club and enjoyed some great times. "But I had to take all the emotion out of this decision. It was a business decision. In fairness to Terry Holmes, he did everything he could to persuade me to stay. But there were others who didn't seem to think it was worthwhile." Rayer then 30 fought back from a broken leg last season (1995-96) but despite his rich form he was left out of the Welsh squad that toured Australia.
Season 1996-97 Mike's first season with Bedford broke the Club's record for individual points scorer amassing 361 points (9T, 101C 38P). Bedford transformed themselves and also-ran into a potential font runner in division two after finishing fourth and reaching the play-offs.
Season 1997-98 Bedford Rugby's campaign for this season was the finest in the club's history as the Blues fulfilled their ambition in winning promotion to the first division after running away with the inaugural Allied Dunbar Premiership Two Title. The Champions also progressed into the final of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Cup, narrowly losing 33-25 to Gloucester in front of 7,500 at Franklins Gardens having defeated other division opponents, Richmond, Bristol and Sale, on their cup trail. Mike won the Bedfordshire Times Citizen Player of the Year award, breaking his own individual points record with 366 (7T, 86C 52P). This takes Mike to the 4th highest points scorer in the Club's history with an overall tally of 727 points.
Season 1998-99 Rayer Returns To Cardiff
Season 1999-2000
Mike made 25 appearances captain the side 15 times scoring 25 points, 5 tries helping Cardiff to wining the Welsh/Scottish League lifting the championship trophy at the Arms Park with a 10 point margin over runners up Newport.
Rayer To Ride Again
I am pleased with what they have come up with. They have offered me a decent deal for next year. I'd had tentative offers from other clubs, but I didn't really want to move. I'm a Cardiff boy and I'm chuffed to bits to be staying at the Arms Park. There seems to be some sort of career path there as well. There's no coaching involved as yet, but if the proposed under 21 team gets off the ground they would be looking for me to do something there.
Rayer quits Cardiff for Bedford 2005
Mike Rayer will leave his role as Cardiff coach to join English National League One club Bedford Blues as director of rugby on a three-year deal. The former Wales international spent two seasons as a player at Goldington Road between 1996 and 1998. "The offer came out of the blue, but it was one that I knew that I had to seriously consider," Rayer said. "Obviously it's a wrench to leave the Arms Park, but I have to consider job security for myself and my family."
RAYER MAKES FIRST NEW SIGNING
Rayer will again link up with former Cardiff Blues centre Matt Allen, who joined Bedford last season and captained Bedford to this year's Powergen Shield. Director of Rugby Mike Rayer has made his first new signing in preparation for the 2005-06 season in the shape of 24 year old scrum half Alex Page. He has joined the Blues from Gloucester where he has been for the last 2 seasons making a number of appearances for the Cherry & Whites both in the Zurich Premiership and in the Heineken Cup. Rayer commented today that he was “delighted to be signing a young English scrum-half who has experience at Premiership level. Having played behind Junior Paramore during his time at Gloucester there was an obvious link and that’s certainly something we’ll look to develop over next season”. The signing of Alex Page is to cover the departure of Ian Vass who has joined Harlequins for next season. Now that the capture of Page has been completed, Director of Rugby Mike Rayer will be looking to finalising further signings in the near future to booster the squad for what should be an exciting 2005-06 season.
