Birmingham & Solihull in cup trip to Rotherham

Nov 20 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail

CONDITIONS at Birmingham & Solihull this week have fallen some way short of cup fever. Indeed, the inaugural British & Irish Cup appears to have barely raised Russell Earnshaw’s temperature.

Which is probably a good thing, with the Bees coach nursing a shoulder injury and a squad so thin a week’s R & R would be preferable to tomorrow’s trip to Rotherham.

Nevertheless, it’s up to Clifton Lane that the Championship strugglers must toddle, for a first match in the new competition that pits Welsh, Scottish and Irish sides against teams from this country’s second tier.

Indeed, as well as Rotherham, Bees must face Doncaster, Cardiff, Pontypridd and Ayr, with only the winner of Pool D making it through to next April’s semi-finals.

Such concerns are well beyond the Solihull outfit who have lost all 11 of their league games and have accepted their role in the end of season relegation play-offs.

“We have got to use this match for player development – the same as every game for us at the moment,” player-coach Earnshaw said.

“There are some guys who haven’t had enough rugby and who need game time.”

There are others who could be set for their Bees debuts having joined in the past few days.

Prop Joe Reid, who played for Esher last season, has arrived on trial, while hooker Stuart Philpott has signed until the end of the season.

The 24-year-old was most recently at Ulster but has answered Earnshaw’s call for front five forwards following their demolition in the scrum by Coventry last Saturday.