By James Peacock, Birmingham Post
October 31 2008

Moseley will look to halt a run of four successive National One defeats against old foes Esher at Billesely Common tomorrow afternoon. To the outsider, Ian Smith’s side’s recent run of results might indicate a team shorn of confidence - but that is not the case. If anything, Moseley’s bonus-point losses to Nottingham, Plymouth and Cornish Pirates - three of the division’s heavyweights - represent significant progress.

Smith said: “It’s not at all doom and gloom - not at all. Going back a year or two, we would have been defeated heavily by the top sides, especially against the Pirates.

“They have been beating us by 40 points in the past [it was 19-15 at the Recreation Ground last weekend] so you can see that we are making ground on them and that we’re moving into a different environment where we can start to compete against the top sides in the division - the full-time sides. Now these games are being won by small edges and decisions and we have to learn to manage that and learn how to keep the initiative against the top sides when we have it.

“Maybe we didn’t have that composure in the last games against those big teams - but we did have chances to put the game away and that’s the next part of our learning process.

“Even games against the likes of Exeter and Leeds are winnable for us this season.

“They only need to be a small percentage down and we have to be on song and anything can happen.

“If you look at our games against Plymouth, Cornish Pirates and Nottingham in recent weeks, they have all come down to a couple of points.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the rub of the green and maybe we didn’t show enough ambition.”

Under Smith’s astute guidance, it is clear that Moseley have made big strides this season.

Perhaps that might not be evident by looking at the league table, where his team occupies their customary mid-table slot, but results undoubtedly reflect his team’s renewed belief that they can compete with the best outfits in the division.

That will all count for nothing, of course, unless Moseley despatch the teams around them. Esher are one such proposition.

Smith added: “Of course, all the games are important for us. Esher is a team we know a lot about from our days together in National Two and we have a close record historically. They are notoriously tight games beteen us, there’s never much in it.

“If you don’t win these games, especially at home, then it will become a big problem for us.”

Moseley have been boosted for the visit of Esher by the return of Billesely Common favourite Ollie Thomas who left the club for the Pirates at the start of the season.

After failing to see much playing time in the first XV in Cornwall, he has jumped ship again, this time returning to the West Midlands where he will feature “in some form” tomorrow, according to Smith.

Moseley’s team selection will be left until talks have been held with Gloucester over the availability of Moseley’s loan players.

Moseley manage learning process

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 31/10/2008 14:05

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
31/10/2008 14:05

Moseley manage learning process

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