Birmingham Moseley 36-47 Rosslyn Park

[Phil]

Big Match Preview - BMRC v Rosslyn Park

Chris Bertram on part 2 of the Top Three Challenge


On Saturday, we welcome old rivals Rosslyn Park to Billesley Common for the second instalment of a series of games against the league’s top three sides. The first part saw Birmingham Moseley travel to Rams in Berkshire with hopes of coming home with at least a bonus point. At half time, Moseley were only eight points adrift, and must have felt that they were still in the game, but after half time Rams turned the power up and were soon out of reach. Moseley managed a third try near the end, and were seaching for a fourth when the whistle blew for full-time; a brave performance, but Rams don’t have a perfect record of 5 points from every game for no reason.

Rosslyn Park were very much in touch with Rams for the first six games of the season, winning them all, albeit squeaking home against Darlington Mowden Park, Bishop’s Stortford and Esher. However, the top three have their own mini-league in progress, and Park have now faced both Rams and Cambridge at home, losing both games. This means that they now sit third in the table, just ahead of Sale FC on points difference.

Last season, Rosslyn Park finished third in the league table, fading at the end having looked likely to top the table for much of the season. Having maintained a fairly stable squad for several years, Park know their strengths, and this includes a set of speedy backs that Moseley will need to keep honest. Fly half Craig Holland has been keeping scoreboards ticking over from the kicking tee, while Charles Walker, Benjamin Howard, Matt Gordon among others from the back line have crossed the whitewash regularly. Not that the forwards haven’t got in on the action, with lock Henry Spencer, prop Cameron Zeiss and back row Daniel Laventure also bagging tries. They’re an all-round team and Moseley will need to be on their mettle at all times.

They’ve also won all their away games, so let’s not assume home advantage, even though Moseley have only lost the opening game of the season here at Billesley so far. But we have had a tendency to test the nerves of the supporters by letting the opposition into games that have seemed won. Against Darlington Mowden Park a three score margin was allowed to be whittled away, and defeat seemed to have been snatched from the jaws of victory until the team drove up the field to Mowden’s 22 and won a penalty that enabled Ollie Allsopp to claim the spoils with the final kick of the game.

Nobody ever said it was easy being a Moseley supporter!

So this Saturday, what do we need? Steady nerves for 80 minutes will help, and harnessing the never-say-die spirit that we saw at the end of the Mowden Park game will go a long, long way. Discipline, as ever, will be important - penalties that can be kicked to the corner have cost us tries on quite a few occasions, and getting the ball to our speedsters will be essential. But most of all, awareness in defence has to be the watchword, or Park’s backs will be under the posts in no time.

This is a game that is within our capabilities to win. Here’s hoping that the team take Park on in the right spirit and find the way to achieve that victory in front of a passionate home crowd!

[Phil]

[CJB1]

Archie Heard? Who he?

[sorrento]

Nov 4, 2022 12:08:02 GMT CJB1 said:

Archie Heard? Who he?

A Google search reveals that he's a fly-half who played for Loughborough Students last season - and played for Stourbridge last Saturday. So National One would appear to be a step up for him.

[westmoreland]

He has been training with us since pre season and was loaned out to stourbridge along with Josh Olver to give them game time.

[andyj]

No Ollie or Ben Palmer.

[beermonster]

I imagine both have picked up knocks.

[andyj]

Is there any benefit in buying tickets in advance? My youngest son wants to come tomorrow and it seems tickets are full price via the website.

[Phil]

Nov 4, 2022 15:43:53 GMT andyj said:

Is there any benefit in buying tickets in advance? My youngest son wants to come tomorrow and it seems tickets are full price via the website.

£15 in advance or £18 on the gate.

[bogs]

Ben Morris is a tremendous signing for us can't wait to see him in a Mose shirt. Ash as well. Things looking up for us I hope.

[londonexile]

Nov 4, 2022 22:32:56 GMT bogs said:

Ben Morris is a tremendous signing for us can't wait to see him in a Mose shirt. Ash as well. Things looking up for us I hope.

We have a very tasty 6,7 & 8 for today's game!

[CJB1]

Final score 36-47, 0-33 at half time. League points 1-5.

Please can we play in the first half next week as we played in the second half this week?

[beermonster]

No Ben Morris ?

[Shy Spa]

Nov 5, 2022 17:41:38 GMT CJB1 said:

Please can we play in the first half next week as we played in the second half this week?

Perhaps only if Cambridge bag their 5 points quickly and have a spell with 13 players? And preferably not just first half.

Good to see the potential the team has, but looks like we will be without Obano for a while.

[martinwatson aka Camera Shake]

How about this one?

[beermonster]

Lineout seems to be a perennial problem. Until we sort that out we're not going to compete against the top side's I'm afraid. Good 2nd half comeback but the opposition were out of sight by then
On positive side we showed a lot of character to come back from where we were.

[Westcountry Mose]

The positives are that AJ is back and the lads kept going to the end. However, the game was over by half time (what’s the cause of us being unable to compete in both halves?) and the same line-out problems persist. I hope AJ will be allowed to exert greater influence and bring in A N Other to assist. If that means one in one out to ensure we progress in this league then so be it.

[grooveavenue]

November wish. To win next game 14-6, 18-10 or 20-12. It'll mean we'll not be gifting cricket scores to opponents; we'll have to be 80min alert; we'll secure 4 points.

[Steve@Mose]

Match report from Rosslyn Park RFC

[anonymous]

Think the early interception at the start of the second half killed the game, especially off the back of the final play of the first half also being a Park 7-pointer.     Park pulling down our maul that was clearly to me heading over the try line at pace was so blatant, why that isn't enough for a penalty try I don't really know - losing our own line out from the resultant penalty set the tone for the next 50 or so minutes.    That said, great credit to the lads for the second half in general.   

I'm sure we're all wondering how Suvwe Obano is,hopefully the Club can update us when they know.

[Phil]

From Suvwe:

I’m ok but I will need to have a neck brace on for the next 3-4 weeks and they said they’ll reassess then.

[Westcountry Mose]

All the best Suvwe.

[beermonster]

best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[martinwatson aka Camera Shake]

Match action. No sound for the first half - technical problem with the ref

[albrown]

Best wishes Suvwe see you back on the common soon.

[andyj]

Nov 5, 2022 22:19:21 GMT beermonster said:

Lineout seems to be a perennial problem. Until we sort that out we're not going to compete against the top side's I'm afraid.

I don't know why we don't start with Ryan Roach. He made a big difference when he came on.

[beermonster]

With Ryan's injury history I'm just glad to see him on the pitch.
Ideally it would be good if he was starting but we need him fit. If that means him coming on with 20 minutes to go so be it. He's a talismanic player for us no question but it's a long hard season.

[dag]

Flat beer to Sparkling Champagne
And all in one match.
Moseley 36 Rosslyn Park 47

On a cloudy, reasonably pleasant, but breezy afternoon, Moseley treated their loyal supporters to a mixture of flat beer and sparkling champagne as they took on third placed Rosslyn Park on the common.
Rosslyn Park, kicking off downhill, started at a high tempo and although Moseley also started well they were soon in trouble. Conceding a penalty on the half way for holding on gifted Park the opportunity to kick for the corner and demonstrate their superb, well-practised line-out catch and drive to score a converted try. With barely 5 minutes on the clock the score 0-7 to Park
Rosslyn Park playing at pace, constantly changed the point of contact after slipping the first tackle, created a lot of problems for the Moseley defence. However, a short while later and against the tide of play, Moseley worked their way up-field forcing Park to knock-on. At the first scrum a mighty shove by Moseley shunted Park back winning a scrum penalty in the process. First blood up front to Moseley.
Park conceded yet another penalty and a yellow card as they illegally stopped the Moseley catch and drive. Unfortunate Moseley fluffed their precious line out which allowed Park to work their way back into the Moseley half again. The down-field wind favoured the Park line-kicking considerably more than Moseley and before long Park had a throw in on the Moseley 10yd line. Against all odds Moseley won the line-out but knocked on forcing another scrum. Park didn’t fancy their chances trying to shove Moseley about and instead played to their strengths; a quick pick up go, a dummy pass, slip the first tackle, clean break through the defence and over the line again for a converted try under the posts. 0-14
Moseley did not panic. They took the game back to Park; they tried to break out but Park snuffed out all their attempts. After a period of ping-pong rugby, Park, with their wind assisted kicks, always had the better exchange. One return punt from a clean break put Park into open space. Fortunately Sam Pointon won the race to the ball and although bundled into touch five yards out saved the moment. However, Park wasted no time in taking an early advantage to execute yet another line-out catch and drive converted try to make the score 0-21 after only 25 minutes of play.
Park, their tails up, harassed Moseley from all directions of the compass. Slipping first tackles and making clean breaks as though they were going out of fashion Park had Moseley chasing shadows. On the half hour yet another shadow ghosted clear through the Moseley defence and from half way line, quickly worked the ball right to score an unconverted bonus point try in the old scoreboard corner to make the score 0-26 to Rosslyn Park.
The next 10 minutes of scrappy penalty exchanges ultimately favoured Park as they broke through the Moseley defence to score a converted try in the club house corner on the strike of half time to make the half time score 0-33.
My first half analysis was that the Moseley tight scrum was the only unit which could give Park problems. But Park knew that within the first 15 minutes. They also knew their 3 stage line out calls had Moseley completely baffled. They frequently broke the first tackle and stretched the Moseley defence, at will, with their running flair, so why play it tight when open play was winning hands down?
The mutterings of Moseley faithful ranks as the lads went in for tea and cream buns - or whatever they have these days - was noticeably subdued. A five tries to none drubbing and a 0-33 deficit margin, all before half time, was not expected. All they could do now was pray - well I did.
But prayers aren’t always answered in a recognisable form as the Moseley faithful and I found out. Moseley started the second half with a clear intent to take the game to Park and impressive it was. Unfortunately a somewhat ambitious long pass to the right wing on the Park 22, which would have created a clear overlap had it succeeded, was intercepted by the Park winger who had a simple, unopposed run in to score a converted try under the Moseley posts and increase their lead to 0-40. Goodness gracious me, that was a bit unexpected.
Not to be outdone Moseley immediately took the game straight back to Park stopping them in their tracks with some solid, destructive, ball snaffling defence. Not only that, they also began to spin the ball and support each other with incredibly deft attacking flair as only we, the Moseley faithful, know they can. Moseley won a penalty and kicked for touch on the Park 22. A superb, off the top ball was quickly shipped in-field to Suvwe Obano who crashed over, almost unopposed, for an unconverted try to put Moseley on the score board. Even though the score was 5-40, the Moseley faithful were well pleased.
Park hit back almost immediately with a clean break and a long, sweeping move of their own to take play back down to the Moseley 22. There they won a penalty, played the free ball and, with the help of a not too subtle blocking of a Moseley defender, scored a converted try making the score 5-47.
Once again, from the kick off Park ran the ball back at Moseley until they were stopped in their tracks by an almighty tackle in mid-field on the Moseley 22. Unfortunate Suvwe Obano, the tackler, was seriously injured which stopped play for a good 10 minutes.
With the score 5-47, a mountain to climb and a Moseley player seriously injured, things were not looking too good for Moseley.
Did the Moseley heads go down? Did the Moseley faithful go home?
Did they ummers like! They did nowt less than get stuck in sithee!
Another line-out opportunity on the Park 22 had the Moseley faithful in full song as Ollie Steadman peeled off a line-out, crossed the line but was held up.
Not to be outdone Moseley harassed Park until they won another penalty and kicked for the old scoreboard corner. Although the line-out was not caught cleanly, Moseley still gained possession and were in no mood to surrender it. Cheered on by the Moseley faithful they worked the ball towards the club house where Ollie Steadman made certain that he was not going to be denied an unconverted try this time. With the score now 10-47 Moseley had their tails up.
A lovely Moseley off the top line-out catch and drop down on the half way line was quickly passed out to the three-quarters where Aquile Smith set off towards the try line like a train on fire but was stopped just feet short. Park were penalised and Moseley attempted a quick tap and go. Park players encroached beyond the line so the referee allowed Moseley to take the penalty again. This time Ollie Steadman crashed over for a converted try to make the score 17-47. Moseley was in sparkling form, the champagne corks had popped and Park couldn’t push them back in.
Park restarted again, Moseley collected the ball on their 22 and immediately ran the ball from deep. The Moseley faithful were absolutely delirious with excitement at the champagne rugby sparkling before their very eyes. And when Park conceded yet another scrum penalty on the half way line and this time it was Mosley’s turn to play free ball until Ollie Steadman once more crossed for a converted try, to move the score on to 17-47.
With barely less than 10 minutes of injury time to play the Moseley mission impossible had become mission possible. They had thrown away the flat beer of the first half, had sipped a glass of Dom Perignon Rose Gold Methuselah sparkling Champagne at around £43,500 a bottle and wanted more.
They won another scrum in the Park 10 metre area. This time they played quick ball off the base of the scrum and mounted yet another raid towards the Park line. And then another bit of magic as Moseley chipped over the flat Park defence, Elliott Creed nipped through to claim the ball behind the line to score a converted try to close the gap to 24-47. You would have thought Moseley had won the game the way the stand, led by Pavarotti, erupted with sheer delight.
Even though Moseley knocked-on from the restart and were then penalised for off-side there was no stopping them now. They even had the audacity to steal the Park line-out ball and clear their line. And it didn’t stop there. Moseley conceded another penalty for not releasing near their 5 yard line; Park chose a quick tap and go; Moseley stopped them and pinched the ball off them.
And then even more audacity as Moseley, without a care in the world, set off on mission possible from inside their own 22. Within seconds Aquille Smith had the ball in his hands and was flying down the left wing like a fighter pilot possessed brushing past grasping hands in the process. The Park full back moved across to cut him off. No problem. Aquille Smith had the close support of several wingmen inside him who calmly continued the mission. Wingman Sam Pointon was on hand to take another pass, weave past the approaching defence, pass to yet another wingman Rob Knox and in he went for a converted try under the post. Absolutely glorious try, the stuff of dreams and with the score now 36-47, an unexpected upset was on the cards.
Sadly old father time came to the rescue of Park and at the first opportunity Park hoofed the ball off the field of play.
Although Moseley lost the match by a shade more than a losing bonus margin, they won the second half in spectacular fashion and would have had a losing bonus if they had taken all their conversion kicks. If Moseley could consistently play to their obvious strengths, tight scrums and speedy backs, then they would fear no-one.
Although my half time prayer for a win was not fully granted, my hope for an honourable defeat certainly was.
Just think what the other teams in the league would think if Moseley played sparkling champagne rugby each time they play, particularly at home? They could start with Cambridge next weekend. We can but hope.

Come on Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooose

[rogerhildreth]

Great report Phil!

[southernmose]

Brilliant stuff - I wasn't there, but that was like being there.