IT WILL be an unfamiliar side that starts Moseley’s British & Irish Cup campaign at home to Plymouth this evening – at least that’s Kevin Maggs’ intention.
The Mose head coach is hoping to integrate as many of the new faces he has at his disposal for a clash with Albion that is probably equal in terms of inconvenience as curiosity value.
The unloved cup competition has been modified this season, not least in the way pool matches have been shoe-horned into barely-existent midweek slots in an effort to free up weekends later on.
New regulations also allow clubs to register ten players, effectively trialists, to ease the burden of playing three games in eight days on semi-professional squads.
With Esher to host in the Championship this Saturday, and with his team still looking for its first win, Maggs intends to use every bit of slack he can find with the available resources.
That will mean starts for back-ups with points to prove, like Ollie Thomas and Ryan Glynn, who will form an intriguing half-back partnership, and outside-backs Callum MacBurnie, Jamie Hearn and Mike Gillick.
It will also mean first appearances in the Red and Black for unknown quantities like Bournville’s lock Steve Smith and Taunton’s centre Christian Gervais.
They will be joined in the squad by Nuneaton’s back-five forward Llyr Griffiths and flanker Sam Gibbons, the former having played a season at Stourbridge a couple of years ago.
Fitness allowing, Doncaster’s Matt Lowcock could also appear for the team his parent club defeated in league action last Saturday, while wing Pierre Tucker gets the opportunity to step up from National Two South outfit Dings Crusaders.
Perhaps most interesting is the availability of coming force Tom Warren. The young loosehead, dual-registered with Northampton, made a big impact with Coventry last season before a back problem ended his campaign.
It would, however, be no surprise to see the 21-year-old graduate to the Moseley first-team squad before the season is out. Having scored seven tries from 17 starts at the Butts Park Arena last term, he is a young man with a nose for the try-line, a growing reputation as a scrummager and a name, if not the heritage, fit for a fine Mose career.
Also of considerable interest is Ryan Zietsman, a Zimbabwean-born paratrooper currently registered with London One side Colchester.
Moseley are in Pool One with Ayr, Cornish Pirates and Neath and will play sides in Pool Two, with the group winner and two best runners-up to go through.
