Knights besiege Damson Park

Posted on Dec 8, 2010 in British and Irish Cup

The British & Irish Cup commences for the Knights with an away game against Birmingham/Solihull Bees. It will be the Knights first visit to Damson Park and I’m sure the fans are looking forward to the experience.

This season the Knights are in Pool D alongside Ayr, Birmingham & Solihull, Llandovery, Pontypridd and Rotherham Titans.

Round 1 sees Rotherham Titans welcome Llandovery, Ayr travel to Pontypridd and the Knights travel to the Birmingham/Solihull Bees new home ground. The game is being played on a Sunday and with a kick off time of 3.00pm.

In Round 2 on the weekend of December 18, the Knights welcome local rivals, Rotherham Titans, Ayr host Llandovery and Birmingham/Solihull Bees fly over the border to Wales to play Pontpridd. The Knights host their game, the second South Yorkshire Derby, on Sunday the 19th December with a 3pm kick off to allow for “ extra time” on Christmas lunch.

This is the second season of the B&I Cup and, after a fairly slow start last season, the organisers are hoping that the tournament will start capturing the public’s imagination just like the Heineken Cup did around the millennium.

With the Knights reaching the Semi Final last season all eyes will be on the team to see if they can achieve an even longer run this time around. Youngsters like Tom Doughty and Dom Parsons could play a big part this season as Matt Lowcock and Lewis Thiede did in the last.

In the equivalent fixture last season played at Castle Park, the Knights were the victors by 41 points to 8. It was the Knights seventh game in 21 days, so they’d had plenty of game time! The game was three days after a defeat by league-leaders Bristol which was their only defeat in that incredible run. It was the Bees that scored the final try of the game, through full back Tom Foden.

Last season the Bees lost all 5 games in their British and Irish cup stay, and only won 1 losing bonus point. The Championship having seen the Bees pack a sting in the tail this season will make everyone wary of them in a Cup Competition.

Moseley prepare for Friday’s Knights

Posted on Nov 10, 2010 in Rugby News

Moseley v Doncaster Knights, 7.30pm kick off at Billesley Common.

Billesley Common is the venue for floodlit RFU Championship rugby this Friday night. Moseley welcomes ‘form side’ Doncaster Knights and is hoping for a creditable “double’ over the South Yorkshire side this season.

The Moseley club is extending a special welcome to local clubs to sample the unique atmosphere of Friday night rugby at Billesley Common. The club has built an enviable reputation for hospitality and night games add something extra.

The South Birmingham based side has received plaudits for their award winning catering and selection of real ales. This Friday will be no different – offering "panini", Chilli, jacket potatoes, succulent pork baps (described by a Rotherham visitor as "the best pork butty in Christendom!") healthy sandwiches as well as the usual "chips with everything".

The Moseley management wanted to provide an opportunity for players and committeemen of local clubs (who are usually playing or officiating on Saturdays) to see some Championship rugby. The next opportunity would be at the ‘break’ in their fixtures when Nottingham visit Billesley on New Year’s Day (Saturday 1st January – 3pm kick off).

As we approach remembrance Sunday, Moseley hope that servicemen and women will take advantage of the season long ‘free entry’ to all home matches for our armed forces as a small token of our thanks (valid ID required).

Castle Park, home of the Knights, was the venue for Moseley’s first win of the Championship season back in September when the red and blacks left with four points and a 23-16 victory. Since then, Doncaster have picked up form and currently sit in 5th place – well inside the top 8 who will eventually contest the promotion play offs.

The Moseley players are still searching for their first home victory of the season despite two impressive displays against Bristol (13-13) and Cornish Pirates (26-26) which gave the home supporters something to cheer about. Local bragging rights were secured a fortnight ago as Moseley left Birmingham & Solihull with four points after a last minute converted try, and will hope that Friday nights are once again good to them.

Match day entry is £15 for adults, £10 seniors, £6 students and £2 for under 16s.
Plenty of free parking, tickets available on the gate. Accessible by bus from throughout Birmingham. Directions and further information www.moseleyrugby.co.uk

Albion ready for first derby match of the season

Posted on Oct 1, 2010 in Rugby News

Plymouth Albion renew their rivalry with the Cornish Pirates at Mennaye Field on Sunday.

The West Country rivals met five times last season – twice in the league, twice in the promotion play-offs and once in the British & Irish Cup.

Home advantage proved crucial in the four Championship clashes, with Albion winning on both occasions at Brickfields and the Pirates triumphing in the two games at Camborne.

Despite the fact that Albion and the Pirates met so many times last season, Plymouth’s chairman of rugby Graham Dawe still believes there is something special about the cross-Tamar clash.

"I don’t think this fixture has lost any of its interest," said Dawe.

"And that first derby match of the season is always a special occasion."

Albion have not played at Mennaye Field since December 2004, but the ground does hold some happy memories for Plymouth, including a promotion-sealing victory in 2001.

Sunday’s trip down to west Cornwall will be Albion’s fourth away game in their opening six matches, following on from longer journeys to Bedford, Nottingham and Birmingham.

Their only two homes games so far have come against Worcester Warriors and London Welsh.

Albion did secure their first win of the season last Sunday when they beat Birmingham-Solihull 36-18 at Damson Park.

However, that victory did come at a cost with both Cameron Mitchell and Wayne Sprangle picking up injuries.

Centre Mitchell broke his thumb, while Sprangle dislocated his shoulder.

They join the likes of Martin Rice, Keni Fisilau and Dan Collier on the sidelines.

But club captain Kieran Hallett did make his comeback last week at Birmingham after foot surgery and David Morton has returned to the club this week after spending the summer in Australia.

Greening warns Welsh against complacency

Posted on Sep 17, 2010 in Championship, English Rugby, Welsh Rugby

London Welsh head coach Phil Greening has warned his players against complacency ahead of the Exiles’ trip to Plymouth Albion, who are still searching for their first Championship win of the season.

Welsh travel to the south coast on the back of a bonus-point win over Birmingham & Solihull, which moves the Dragons up to fifth in the table. That followed a below-par performance at the Cornish Pirates and Greening is keen to continue the upward curve on Saturday.

Plymouth are without a win in three, but their last outing at Brickfields saw them push promotion favourites Worcester Warriors all the way before eventually going down 26-19.

London Welsh head coach Phil Greening said: “Plymouth are a very physical well drilled side – a typical Graham Dawe team. It will be another tough Championship game and I’m expecting a bit of a backlash from them after their recent results.

“Their position in the table is not a true reflection and we know they are going to be a very different animal at home. Any team coached by Dawe’s is going to be very physical and very up for it.

“For us, it’s hugely important that we keep the momentum of last weekend going. We are always trying to improve and raise standards; we got some way there against Birmingham & Solihull, but we didn’t completely hit those standards.

“Training this week has been really good, really competitive. Getting back on the horse and getting that win under our belts against Birmingham & Solihull, after the Pirates defeat, was crucial and the boys have been really upbeat about it this week.

“Having said that, we’ve been working hard on our decision making, both in attack and defence, tidying up individual mistakes, our set piece could be tightened up and our discipline – we have away far too many penalties and free kicks against Birmingham & Solihull.”

London Welsh 26- man squad v Plymouth Albion – kick off 3pm at Brickfields

Lee Beach, Marc Breeze, Errie Claassens, Matt Corker, Josh Drauniniu, Liam Gibson, Michaels Hills, Michael Holford, Wiasea Luveniyali, Paul Mackey, Jonathan Mills, Saul Nelson, Shawn Pittman, Mike Powell, Martin Purdy, Gordon Ross, Nick Runciman, Ben Russell, Paul Sampson, Doninic Shabbo, Ben Stevenson, Epi Taione, Hudson Tonga’uiha, Lorne Ward, Simon Whatling, Dan Williams.

Kyle to lead the Pirates against the Bees

Posted on Sep 17, 2010 in Rugby News

In the absence of rested captain Gavin Cattle, the Cornish Pirates, who have a few players injured, have named Kyle Marriott to lead them in Sunday’s RFU Championship Round 4 match against Birmingham & Solihull. Kick-off at the Mennaye Field, Penzance, is at 3pm.

No. 8 Kyle is part of a new look back-row, which provides a first Championship appearance of the season for open-side flanker Tyrone Holmes.

In the front-row, Rudi Brits returns at tight-head prop, with Carl Rimmer moving across to loose-head, and Rob Elloway is named to start at hooker, having been used as a replacement for Dave Ward in the opening three games.

James Doherty will look to comfortably slot into the scrum-half berth in place of Gavin Cattle, and with Jonny Bentley returning from injury as his half-back partner, Rob Cook moves back to full-back.

Other changes in the backs sees Nick Jackson move to outside centre, with Rhodri McAtee selected on the wing.

The named teams for Sunday are as follows:-

Cornish Pirates: R. Cook, R. McAtee, N. Jackson, T. Luke, W. Davies, J. Bentley, J. Doherty, K. Marriott (capt), T. Holmes, S. Betty, M. Myerscough, I. Nimmo, R. Brits, R. Elloway, C. Rimmer.
Replacements: R. Storer, D. Ward, J. Currie, C. Morgan, B. Cowan, G. Pointer, S. Winn.

Birmingham & Solihull: O. Winter, A. Elliott, O. Grove, W. Lawson, M. Culpin, S. Robinson, R. Petty, M. Hopley, J. Preece, J. Bentall, A. Griffiths, S. Taulava, N. Tau, D. Oselton, M. Long.
Replacements: L. Halavatu, R. Dugard, A. Ball, M. Denbee, D. Sanderson, J. Brake, S. Hunt.

Referee: Michael Tutty (RFU) Assistants: Dale Newitt & Eric Woodmason

Assessor: Steve Leyshon