MOSELEY have moved to complement the bosh of their forwards with a bit of Bish in the backs by signing two three-quarters with Premiership experience.
Having brought Joe Munro on loan from Loughborough Students last week, Ian Smith yesterday added experienced centre David Bishop to his three-quarter line.
Primarily an inside-centre, the 27-year-old has spent the first half of this season on loan at Edinburgh after a year at Sale and four seasons with the Ospreys.
And the brother of Wales midfielder Andrew is joined at Billesley Common by Chris Bishay – a winger who came through the Wasps academy and who has played 11 times for the London outfit between 2006-2009.
After eight months out of the game the 23-year-old appeared for Harlequins A against London Irish a fortnight ago and trained with Mose this week after being put in touch with Kevin Maggs by Quins’ director of rugby Conor O’Shea.
Bishay and Munro are both in line to start this weekend’s British & Irish Cup clash with Neath knowing victory would all but secure their qualification for the quarter-final stage.
Munro made a promising debut in the victory over Swansea last weekend, while, having signed on Tuesday, Smith has seen enough of Bishay to throw him straight in tomorrow.
But it is the signing of Bishop that will excite the club’s supporters most.
Having struggled with a knee injury for all but one of his seasons at Ospreys, Bishop made nine starts at Sale last season, including six in the Premiership and three substitute appearances in the Heineken Cup.
He left Edgeley Park when Mike Brewer arrived and spent pre-season with Dragons only to be signed on a short-term contract by Edinburgh where he played in two Magners League fixtures.
“They really liked him at Edinburgh,” said head coach Smith.
“It was only a financial thing that meant they didn’t keep him there.
“He’s a good player and a good bloke he’s a great signing as he’ll will give us a lot of experience in midfield.
“Chris Bishay gives us an edge in speed.
“There is no substitute for out and out pace and while we have got some really good wingers Chris may be able to finish a few things off.
“These players bring a mixture of experience, proven quality and potential to our squad and should create some healthy competition for places in our back division.”
For once it is the forwards who most concern Smith this weekend though – specifically whether to risk David Lyons and Paul Spivey, his only two semi-fit locks.
Richard Stott and Mark Evans are both out after coming off against Swansea and with an important league match just eight days away, Smith could opt to protect his specialists and instead continue with the makeshift partnership that ended the previous game.
That would mean Chevvy Pennycook and Neil Mason staying in the boiler house and the hosts doing all they can to avoid lineouts.
