North Midlands Cup Finals - Rearranged Date

 Sunday 13th May

The North Midlands Cup Finals Day, in which both Moseley's U16s & U17s will be competing, have been rearranged for Sunday 13th May at Droitwich Rugby Club.

Please go along and give your support to the lads  

1.45pm     Under 16 Plate      Luctonians v Moseley                            Pitch 2   

3.15pm     Under 17 Cup        Moseley v Worcester                            Pitch 1  

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Under 17s Colts Win National U17s Colts Semi Final

Sunday 22nd April 2012

Moseley 13 - 5 Wilmslow

Doncaster RFC hosted all four tiers of the Midlands & North National U17s Colt competition semi-finals on Sunday 22nd April. Moseley were drawn to play Wilmslow RUFC in the shield semi final with a midday kick-off. We didn't know much about the opposition and a quick read through their results this season suggested a team who could score a decent number of points but who could also concede quite a few points. Moseley had pretty much all their players available for selection - no mean feat this late in the season. The pre-match "warm-up" was greeted with a cloudburst and an hour of lashing rain but as is always the way as kick-off approached - the sun came out!

Both teams started poorly - the nerves getting to both sides - evidenced by numerous handling and kicking errors. Rory got the first score on the board with a converted penalty 6 minutes in, but Moseley really didn't settle into some shape until nearly 20 minutes into the first half. A good backs move from Wilmslow say them go over in the corner to take the lead 3-5. Five minutes later, Rory got another kickable penalty to give Moseley their lead back 6-5. Wilmslow missed a couple of penalties and thereafter kicked for territory. A very edgy first half had Moseley still just in front.

The second half saw both teams playing better rugby with the game opening up a bit more than the first half, but neither team seemed to able to make a breakthrough. On 55 minutes Moseley lost Marlie to the sin-bin for what was judged to be a tip-tackle. Would the game turn now that Moseley were down to 14? The boys really dug in as Wilmslow sought to press home their numbers advantage in the backs. A wild pass from the Wilmslow back was intercepted by Rory to give him a try under the posts, which he then duly converted on 60 minutes to stretch the lead to 13-5. Moseley now just had to tighten it up and the forwards duly responded with some great driving mauls.

Not the prettiest game of rugby - but a win is a win and the lads travel to Sixways in a fortnight to play Dorking in the National Shield Final. A great way for the U17s to finish their season with 2 finals in 2 weeks - next week we have Worcester in the North Mids Final and then the National Shield the following week. This season the lads have got better and better and are a credit to the club and much of that is down to their coaches: Mark Saunders & Geoff Cadogan who have built a team that play hard but with a sense of humour and enjoyment.

Sean Bailey

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