Nottingham vs Melrose preview

Posted on Jan 20, 2011 in Rugby News

Cup action returns to Meadow Lane this Sunday when Scottish side Melrose take on the Green and Whites in the British and Irish Cup.

The key clash will see Nottingham look to play their trademark attacking rugby as they push for a place in the quarter finals of the competition.

After completing an assured victory over Esher midweek, Glenn Delaney’s men will be looking to keep the momentum flowing through a hectic run of games.

Speaking from Meadow Lane, Director of Rugby Glenn Delaney said: "We’re playing some great rugby at the moment and the weekend match promises to be a great game for the fans.

"Cup rugby is always exciting because you need to perform at your best in every game. We’re in a Pool where every side wants to get through to the next stage, so we can expect a real high octane encounter Sunday afternoon."

Huge week of action for Delaney’s men

Posted on Jan 17, 2011 in Rugby News

Glenn Delaney’s men are gearing up for a huge week of action which will see them play three games in seven days.

The Green and Whites travel to Esher on Tuesday in a fixture rearranged from last month and will be hoping to continue their winning ways in the Championship where they look secure in the play-off zone.

On Sunday Nottingham return to Meadow Lane for B&I Cup action at home to Melrose after playing in front of a massive 3189 strong crowd last Friday against Munster.
The Sky Sports cameras will be in town the following Tuesday when the side take on the Rotherham Titans in a game that promises hard-hitting action between two closely pitted rivals.
Speaking ahead of the hectic period Director of Rugby Glenn Delaney insisted that his side is ready for the string of match-ups.

He said: "I’m very confident in both the levels of ability and the depth of strength in the squad; we are a well balanced team with the necessary back-up for busy playing periods.

"Times like these really put us to the test and coming through them well is what we prepare for and expect.”

Fans will be able to purchase a joint ticket for the Melrose and Rotherham ties for the extra special price of just £25, while season ticket holders can enter this weekend’s B&I Cup clash for just £10.

B&I Cup: Moseley v Neath, Saturday 22nd January

Posted on Jan 17, 2011 in Rugby News

Return of famous England/Wales clashes

For the second week running a famous name from the principality visits Moseley’s Billesley Common headquarters for a British & Irish Cup fixture. Hot on the heels of Swansea, Moseley welcomes Neath back to the Midlands some twenty years after the previous encounter between the two proud names in rugby.

Moseley lead Pool C

In recent years Bridgend, Ebbw Vale, Aberavon and Newport have all been welcomed to Billesley Common, but only the advent of the B&I Cup saw the revival of competitive fixtures. Moseley visited Llanelli and Aberavon in the cup last season and Swansea travelled up the M5 last weekend – but left with only a losing bonus point for their efforts. Moseley’s bonus point win (28-22) sees them leading pool C having played two and won two.

The Neath fixture is Moseley’s third B&I Cup pool game in a group where two qualifiers progress out of the six team league. After Neath’s victory at Ulster (25-20) last weekend, the encounter on Saturday is likely to have a decisive bearing on which team progresses to the knockout stages.

The famous All Black jerseys will arrive at Billesley on Saturday (22nd January 3pm kick off) sitting in second place in the 14 team Welsh Premiership and within touching distance of leaders Pontypridd.

Proud history

The clubs have played each other since the 19th century and after the advent of professionalism in the late 1990s, fixtures between Moseley and South Wales clubs had been largely confined to pre-season friendlies. Not that any match between Moseley and a South Wales club is ever anything other than competitive!

The fixtures between Moseley and Neath in the late 1970s and 80s were always eagerly awaited and indeed on the Welsh club’s last visit to the Birmingham a 26-9 victory was achieved but only after Moseley had “won” the second half 9-6.

Whilst Neath traditionally had one of the strongest sides in South Wales, the matches were rarely forgone conclusions. The last home victory for Moseley was in 1987 by the margin on 23-15. But the scorelines in these fixtures rarely told the full story – in this case a 19-3 margin at half time along with the slope in the second half led the home crowd to think a win would be a formality. However the Welshmen won this particular second half by 12-4. Not enough to deny Moseley a victory – but certainly a game to be remembered.

During the 70s and early 80s the matches almost invariably were won by the home team but in 1984 John Beale, the current Moseley President, on debut as captain, secured a famous win in Neath as he led his side to a 13-10 victory courtesy of a Graham Viney try in the final minutes.

Saturday’s game will be the continuation of a proud tradition and with a large travelling support promised, this should be an entertaining and competitive game. .

Special B&I Cup offers
Discounted entry in advance
Buy 5 or more tickets and get over 30% discount (advance sales only)
Adult entry on the day £15; In advance for 5 plus tickets only £10 each.

Kick off 3pm at Billesley Common, Birmingham

Albion add youngsters to Cup squad

Posted on Jan 14, 2011 in Rugby News

PLYMOUTH Albion add youngsters Rupert Freestone, Sam Matavesi and Max Venables to their squad to take on the Cornish Pirates at Mennaye Field in the British & Irish Cup (2pm).

Sunday’s meeting will be the second time in five days the two West Country sides have clashed.

The teams played out a tight game at Brickfields on Wednesday in the Championship. The Pirates narrowly won 10-6 in a match that produced only one try.

It was the second time this season the Pirates had beaten Albion and chairman of rugby Graham Dawe would like to try and improve on that record on Sunday at Mennaye Field, where Chris Stirling’s side are still unbeaten this term.

"We are 2-0 down to them in the series and we will be looking to make it 2-1," said the former England international.

"They are always particularly strong at home. An away win at the Pirates is a big ask, but we will be giving it a go.

"We will need to adapt to the conditions and tweak a few things to keep them guessing."

Promotion play-off chasing Albion, who have some vital league games coming up, have made a few changes to their squad that played against the Pirates on Wednesday.

Freestone, Matavesi, Venables, Fionn McLoughlin, Steve Johns and fit-again Robin Copeland are added to the party, while Alex Davies, Sione Tu’ipulotu and Rory Watts-Jones drop out. They will not finalise their team until tomorrow.

Teeenage front-row forward Freestone will be hoping to make his first-team debut for Albion.

He has impressed this season while on loan at Tavistock in Western Counties West.
Mataves is another teenage forward, who like Freestone, played junior rugby for Cornwall. Matavesi made his first start for the club in Albion’s last cup match against Leinster in December.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Venables, son of former Albion captain Dave, will be hoping to make only his second appearance in an Plymouth shirt. His first came as a replacement against Gael Force in last year’s British & Irish Cup.
Albion (from): R Cushion, K Fisilau, K Hallett, S Johns, T Kessell, M Lee, F McLoughlin, B Mercer, C Mitchell, M Venables, A Carpenter, D Collier, R Copeland, G Evans, R Freestone, S Hocking, R Hopkins, T Hotson, S Matavesi, D Morton, G O’Meara, G Porter, T Skelding, W Sprangle, S-M Stephen.

Dowson renews contract with Saints

Posted on Jan 14, 2011 in Rugby News

Northampton Saints today announced that Phil Dowson has renewed his commitment to the club by signing a new contract.

Dowson, 29, has been at Franklin’s Gardens since the summer of 2009. After racking up 128 appearances at former club Newcastle his tally of outings in the black, green and gold has risen quickly and he is just three appearances away from the 50 mark, and the Saints club cap that comes with it.

Dowson, who has shown his prowess in all three back row positions during his time in Northampton, has also doubled his try scoring strike rate while at the club. At Newcastle he scored 16 tries; at Saints he has crossed the whitewash eight times in a third as many games.

His consistent excellence in 2009/10 led to a selection in the Sky Sports Dream Team and nominations in the short lists for both the Guinness Premiership Player of the Season and RPA Players’ Player of the Season.

He will also go down in club history as the first player to lift a domestic trophy. Dowson leads the team regularly while club captain Dylan Hartley is on international duty, and he skippered the Saints to a 30-24 win over Gloucester to lift the 2010 LV= Cup last March.

Dowson had no hesitation in signing a new contract at the Saints and believes that the team is still on an upward curve with the best still to come.

“I wanted to stay and the club seemed pretty keen for me to stay, so it was a no brainer really,” he said. “I’ve had a brilliant two years here so far and I wanted to stay involved. Highlights last season were playing in the Heineken Cup quarter final, whatever the result, playing well in the Premiership and the confidence and belief in the guys around you. And the LV= Cup final, obviously. I thought that Northampton was the best place to come to win things and we achieved that in the LV= Cup and it was a privilege to be captain that day.

“The first impression of the club and the environment was the big thing for me and there is more to come. We set high standards, which come from the top, and the quality of the squad shows that we need to be ambitious. The last couple of weeks have showed that we’re not quite there yet and we’re striving to improve continuously. Off the field things have been good as well. The lads spend a lot of time together, and while we get worked hard there is a good balance in what we do.

“To be playing at a club that is well supported through thick and thin is great. The fans are very fair, and it is one of the places in the country that gives the man of the match to someone who deserves it no matter which team they’re playing for. It is a true rugby club that I’m proud to be a part of.”

Director of rugby Jim Mallinder is delighted that Dowson is staying at the club for the foreseeable future.

“Phil has been an excellent addition to our squad in the year-and-a-half he has been at Franklin’s Gardens so far,” he said. “He quickly became one of the senior players in the squad and shows his leadership skills on and off the pitch. He is also a very talented player who fits into the style of play we try to achieve here, with pace, power and good skill with the ball in hand.

“I’m delighted that he has decided to stay at the Saints and believes in where we are taking the club. We are still growing as a team and I’m confident that Phil will continue to contribute fully to our development.”