Profile - James Ireland

(Sunday Mercury Interview)

MOSELEY'S latest recruit, Jimmy Ireland, admits that his heart has always been with the red and black hoops.

The scrum-half was raised in Hall Green and started training with the Billesley Common outfit last week after arriving from Newport.

Ireland, 23, came through Mose's ranks from the age of five before leaving for university in London aged 18.

His rugby career continued with London Welsh and his involvement with the Welsh national teams saw him link up with South Wales-based Cross Keys before joining Newport.

Limited It was there that Ireland tasted Magners League experience with the Newport Gwent Dragons as well as representing Wales at the 2005 Under-21 World Cup.

But knee and shoulder injuries saw his first-team opportunities limited so Ireland has rejoined Moseley, where his father Dave, a former Leicester and Moseley player, is chairman of the club's youth system, in a bid to kick-start his career in National One.

"It's going to be awesome. I've always wanted to come back to Moseley because it's where I started," said the former Solihull Sixth Form College student.

"Things are really moving on with Moseley and I'm quite excited to get back. I had a couple of injuries at Newport which kept me out of the side towards the end, so I've had a bit of a rest. I've started training with Moseley and I'm feeling pretty fresh. "We've got a good squad and they are a good bunch of boys down there. Moseley gave me an opportunity to play rugby in the first place and now they are allowing me to get back into the semi-professional game. I've always felt that Moseley is where my heart is – it's like coming home. "I had a good three years at Newport and made a lot of friends. It's just a shame that I didn't get to play as much as I could have done. Now I'm looking forward to enjoying my rugby."

Ireland became Moseley's first preseason signing but the ambitious Brummies have since announced a three-year joint arrangement with Guinness Premiership outfit Gloucester.

The deal will see all of Gloucester's England Academy players dual-registered, allowing them to play for Moseley, while the agreement will also enable players to be loaned between the two clubs.

Ireland's number-one focus will be to make the number nine shirt his own and, following the departure of Paul Knight back to local rivals Pertemps Bees, that aim has been made easier.

But the ex-Lighthall School pupil is looking further ahead, too.

"I'm not seeing my time at Moseley as a short-term thing," he said. "I don't know what to expect but things are looking good. The main thing is that I wanted to play rugby and my home club offered me something.

"It would be unbelievable if I could get back involved with Wales but at the moment I'm just taking it as it comes. I just want to play rugby and stay fit.

Experienced "I've had a couple of years in and out of teams so now I'm really looking forward to playing regular rugby with Moseley."

Despite being only 23, Ireland will undoubtedly be one of the most experienced heads in the Billesley Common dressing room.

And the homecomer believes he has seen enough already to convince him that Mose will not be sucked into the relegation dogfight in the forthcoming season.

"I got to see a few games last season and I thought they played some really good rugby," he said. "Last season was probably the hardest year for us and I don't think we will be battling against relegation this time around because we've got tons of good players."