Both Jersey and Moseley are expecting a highly competitive
match at Billesley Common in this, the last league fixture before Christmas.
The two week break for the British and Irish Cup provided an opportunity for
each side to rotate, rest, as well as giving a number of fringe players the
chance to impress and make their case for inclusion, in what has become a
vitally important league match.
Jersey head coach Steve Boden remains positive despite four
straight defeats and has seen enough, to remain positive. He has been pleased
with areas of Jerseys play. ‘Most of the boys have impressed me to be honest,’
he stated. Academy product Jack Burroughs makes his first Championship start
having also impressed the coach. Boden said, ‘He (Burroughs) did well at full
back when he came on, for a young lad. Our backs showed good intent to carry
the ball, the execution wasn’t so good, but the general emphasis to play more
rugby generally was pleasing’.
After the 24 nil reverse to Cornish Pirates, Boden’s first job,
to raise morale, was not as tough as first imagined. ‘It was not that hard
really,’ he explained. ‘We had a debrief of the game, and saw how many
opportunities we had to score, and then all of a sudden chins came off the
chests and they realised we had blown a lot of chances.’ Boden continued, ‘We
haven’t been playing with the ball that much, but that is something we are
looking to do more of. We blew two, two on one opportunities and that is just
basic skills, there is no excuse for that, that is something I should not have
to coach, we need to start putting our chances away and the emphasis at the
moment is on our execution’.
Having been a former Moseley player himself, Boden has an
insight in to what to expect from his former employers, ‘There’s not much atmosphere,
the crowds aren’t huge,’ he said. ‘They have a few old heads in there who know
all the tricks of the trade, a good forward pack, including former Jersey
player Ben Evans, and lots of pace on the wings. I expect it to be quite
physical up front, and a battle of who makes the fewest mistakes.’
The corresponding fixture last season was a tight affair, one
which Boden believed they lost, rather than Moseley actually winning. ‘We lost
the game,’ he said. ‘We had to chase the game having been 23-9 behind. As with
this season, it is a problem we have got, something we are trying to identify,
it seems that we need something negative to happen before we go on the
onslaught, which is why we are trying to play more with the ball and be more
positive from the start.’
He continued, ‘We need to be more clinical, but we are
creating opportunities. We have spoken about sticking to structures and our game
plan, and it’s about the boys having the discipline to stick to it. We are in a
patch at the moment and the only way to get through that is to meet it head on
and work through it.’ Despite this form the club is still upbeat, Boden stated.
‘The camp is pretty positive to be honest, spirits are high and we just need a
result. It would be a great time just before Christmas to get one.’
Moseley's recent league form has been good, with three wins
from six including victories against Bedford, Nottingham and Ealing, losing to
high flying London Welsh and London Scottish before last weekend’s shock
reverse at Ealing in the cup. Last season, saw the teams meet twice with
Moseley winning both encounters, 31-12 at St Peter, and narrowly 23-19 at
Billesley Common.
A win for Moseley could see them move up to eighth place,
well clear of bottom side Ealing. A Jersey win would see them draw level with
Moseley and a try bonus point takes the Islanders above their hosts, and level
with Nottingham in ninth.
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