Moseley development v Oxford University

[gary]

I've made this mistake before but I have in my diary the above match scheduled for tomorrow night (Wednesday). Can anyone tell me if I'm wrong or right and if it's on? Thought it would be nice to go and offer some support.

[Communications Team]

Game is scheduled for 7.30 KO @ Billesley Common

[gary]

Thanks.

Roger - if you are going I'll have that whiskey please.

[rogerhildreth]

Whisky? What Whisky? Not sure if I'm going, but if I do.......

[fas175]

How did it finish? Came away after 60 with us down but them down to 13. Pretty good show by the boys stand out players for me were Caolan Ryan at 10, Anthony Carter and Ollie Thomas. Liam Mather carried well and put in a shift, would have liked to see Nigel Burrows playing and maybe Brad Davies? Enjoyed it but I don't think that was oxfords 1st team.

[CJB1]

Final score was 17-17, 2 converted tries and a penalty each. Oxford 7-0 up at half time, having absorbed a lot of pressure and finally got their act together near the end of the half to go over. Mose opened the second half scoring with a penalty (Ryan kicking for Mose), but Oxford stretched their lead before Mose came back.

Ref quite handy with the yellow cards, and didn't like any backchat, marching Oxford back 10 metres at least once. I think one of the cards was for repeated verbals.

Nice to see Richie Bignell back in Mose colours again at openside. Shaggy was at inside centre, which is not really his natural position, and Ollie was on the left wing. Dave Brazier started at scrum half. Fullback was Rob Dempsey. I didn't recognise most of the rest.

Was it Oxford's 1st XV? I doubt whether they know themselves yet, it's very early in the university season. I spoke to one of their entourage at half time, he said they'd been together about 4 weeks (must have gone up early, then), but this was only their second game, and the team was greatly changed from the first game. They did seem to improve as the game went on, perhaps getting to know each other better on the pitch.

Anyway, an entertaining evening, especially for the members of the 1st XV who turned out to cheer their mates on.

[willbassett]

Where is Richie these days? Was sorry to see him leave but we're served pretty well at 7 now with Pons and Robinson.

[CJB1]

He was at Cov last season. Unfortunately the Cov website doesn't give a squad list, so I can't tell whether he's still there.

[gary]

Entertaining match but very cold. Time to break out the winter gear to watch Moseley. The whisky would have helped. Thought Ryan was outstanding at 10. It was interesting as I had watched him the week before playing for Stourbridge against Bromsgrove and he had played a very limited game plan (probably following instruction?). Last night he was full of breaks, dummies etc and ran at every opportunity. Interesting to see the contrast. He is definitely one for the (near) future.

I stood near the dugouts for part of the second half and the Oxford guys recording the game were saying that this was in essence their first and only team at the moment but that they would have another/second team soon. I think CJB1 summed it up.

A decent competitive game to watch. Perhaps 2 or 3 who might progress to first team squad contention but not much more in my opinion.

[rogerhildreth]

Oct 4, 2012 10:48:10 GMT gary said:

The whisky would have helped

All right, all right - this Saturday!

[willbassett]

Thanks CJB1. Checked my copy of the Rugby Paper and he wasn't listed in the Cov match squad last weekend.

[rogerhildreth]

I thought he was playing for a lower league club down Bristol way?