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Moseley and Gloucester rugby clubs in historic tie-up
Moseley and Gloucester Rugby clubs, two traditional old rivals who contested the
first ever John Player Cup Final in 1972 and who shared the Cup in 1982, have
announced a ground breaking joint arrangement for the next three years.
All Gloucester’s England Academy players will be dual registered to play for
both Gloucester and Moseley and will be available to play in National League One
next season.
 The
agreement will also enable players, including those with Premiership experience,
to be loaned between the two clubs as circumstances and individual playing
pathways require and to keep players match fit in a competitive environment.
There will also be the exchange of information about conditioning programmes,
video analysis and training techniques.
Moseley Coach and former Gloucester and Scotland International Ian Smith said:
“Our agreement with Gloucester is more than just about boosting our playing
strength. Gloucester will assist with the whole Moseley playing squad’s
conditioning and the development of their playing skills to bring a greater
degree of professionalism to the club.
“There will also be some joint training sessions which will not only provide a
continuity of style but also provide exposure to a more intense and skilful
level of performance. This will benefit the whole Moseley squad and complement
the development of our home produced players.
“Often players make themselves redundant following promotion to a higher league.
However in accordance with Moseley’s ethos of developing home grown Birmingham
players, we kept the same squad and provided them with the opportunity to prove
themselves in National One. This tie-up with Gloucester will enable our players
who have made the grade to continue to develop their skills to the highest
level.”
Dean Ryan, Gloucester Head Coach, said:
“Moseley is a proud traditional rugby club which historically has played at the
highest levels of the game with a string of famous ex-International players. It
has quite legitimate aspirations to return there and we are pleased to be
associated with this to meet our own objectives in an arrangement which will be
beneficial to both clubs.
“The similarity of playing styles between the clubs should facilitate an easy
assimilation between the sides. It will also provide a conduit for Moseley’s
players to be exposed to the more professional environment of the Premiership.”
Moseley President Derek Nutt (and joint winning skipper when Moseley shared the
John Player Cup with Gloucester in 1982) commented:
“It is perhaps the understatement of the rugby fraternity to say that Moseley
did not embrace professionalism well when it was introduced in the mid 1990s.
After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to regain our former place in the rugby
hierarchy we are now making steady progress back up the rugby ladder.
“This three-year tie-up with Gloucester will enable us to compete more
effectively in National League One while our commercial and other business
activities are developed and our ground enhanced with the eventual objective of
Moseley sustaining its own full-time side and once again competing at the
highest levels.”
“Meanwhile, as National League One Clubs have long argued to the RFU that it is
better for England Academy players to be attached to them rather than
Premiership ones, this arrangement will hopefully provide evidence of the merits
of that case”.
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Initial Academy Players at the commencement of the
agreement (who are
dual registered to play for both Gloucester and Moseley) are...
Jack Adams – Centre - Born 1986 (17th Sep) - Academy Player. The powerfully constructed centre
is a product of St Peter’s School and is capable of running excellent
attacking lines and already has England experience at Under-18 level. He
missed a lot of 2005/06 after damaging ligaments in his knee during A League
duty, but returned in 2006/7 to make 11 Gloucester first team appearances
scoring 4 tries.
Mark Davies – Fly Half - England Academy Player dual registered to
play for both Gloucester and Moseley. England U18 six nations player in
06/07. Product of the St Peter's, Gloucester, "half back factory".
Dave Lewis - Scrum half - one of the
most highly rated young scrum halves in the country. He played in the
juniors at Barnstaple RFC and progressed whilst at Ivybridge College and the
South West England Regional academy to play in last season’s England U18
team that secured the Six Nations championship. He is continuing his studies
this academic year at Hartpury College on a sports coaching and conditioning
course. He joined Gloucester, who beat off interest from Saracens, Bristol
and Exeter, after selection for the England Junior National Academy in 2006.
Lewis played his first game for Gloucester ‘A’ in February last season.
Jack Forster – Prop - Born: 1987 (19 March, Wigan) - One
of last year’s England Under 20 front row. He made 3 starts in the
Premiership in 06/07 and 8 appearances as a replacement. An Agriculture and
Land Management student at Hartpury College, Forster was on a one-year deal
with Gloucester before head coach Dean Ryan moved quickly to secure the
services of the 18-year-old tight-head on another contract following a
series of impressive displays in the Guinness A League. Jack has previously
played for Sale Sharks (2003- 05), Sedgley Park (1998-2003) and Aspul
(1996-98) and represented England at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-19 level.
England Saxons debut in the 2007 Churchill Cup series, coming on after 60
mins against the USA and scoring eight minutes later!.
Ross McMillan - Hooker -
Born 1987 (2nd June, Chesterfield) - One of last year’s
England Under 20 front row, the England Under-20 hooker is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the country.
Ross began his rugby with Chesterfield U13s, deferred his PE & Youth
Sport Studies
at Sheffield Hallam University to take up his contract at Gloucester Rugby.
Ross began his rugby with Chesterfield U13s rising to score the winning try
for England Under-18s in the Association European Rugby final against France
in 2005, Selected for 2006 U19s World Championship, in which England
came third, followed by selection for England U19s at the World
Championship. He was a key member of the Nottingham side in National One in
2005/6.
Karl Pryce - Wing - Born 1986 (27th
July Bradford) - 6' 6", 18 stone winger Karl is the younger brother of St
Helens rugby league star Leon, made 37 appearances for Bradford Bulls. He
was called up for the Great Britain squad in 2006 for the Tri-Nations series
before switching codes later that year. He made his premiership debut for
Gloucester in March against Northampton Saints. He is widely regarded as one
of the outstanding young prospects who has the size, skill, pace and power
to trouble any opposition.
Charlie Sharples – Wing -
England Academy Player dual registered to play for both Gloucester and
Moseley. Has been
selected to tour Australia in August 2007 with the England U18 squad.
Henry Trinder – Centre -
Former Cirencester Colt and England U18 player (will travel to
Australia in August for U18 tour) played during England’s U18 Six Nations
games where they defeated France, Ireland and Scotland. Also selected to
represent Gloucester A this season
Dan Williams - No.8 -
England Academy Player dual registered to play for both Gloucester and
Moseley. England Under 18, Ivybridge Community College & South
West England Regional Academy player. |