Pre Season Fixtures
9 June 2005 - Moseley RFC
Moseley’s pre-season programme has been announced.

Friday 12th August: Glasgow Hawks v Moseley

Sunday 14th August: Stirling County v Moseley

Followed by matches on our new ground:

Saturday August 20th Moseley v Nottingham

Saturday August 27th Moseley v Newport (Wales)

The latest on players is:

“The vast majority of the 1st XV squad have re-signed for next season leaving the highly effective coaching team of Ian Smith & Don Caskie able to focus on strengthening the squad in key areas for the 2005-06 season.

The first of the signings have been announced with prop Rob Sigley, brother of Gloucester and former Moseley prop Terry, re-joining us.

Gloucester Academy lock Tom Skelding described by John Beale as “a very abrasive player who hits rucks and mauls very hard” also joins along with Rob Emery (formerly Nottingham & Bedford Athletic) who joins Moseley after a year in the French Pro2 league. (Tom played in a Moseley 2nd/Development match last season.)

Further signings will be announced as we approach pre-season training (28th June)”


O'Leary added to Moseley's exciting backs Jun 17 2005

Rugby Union, By Brian Dick


Moseley kick-started their summer strengthening process when they yesterday confirmed the signing of one of the most potent try-scoring weapons in Premiership history.

Former Worcester, Gloucester and Harlequins winger Daren O'Leary has agreed to join the Billesley Common club after being released from Sixways at the end of last season.

O'Leary, who until halfway through the last campaign was the leading scorer in topflight history when his record of 79 was taken by Neil Back, has joined the National Two club on a one-year contract and will add his undoubted pedigree to one of the most exciting back divisions in the National Leagues.

Moseley beat higherranked opposition to acquire his prolific services, and backs coach Don Caskie believes that the arrival of such a big-name player could convince others that the club are on their way back to the upper echelons of English rugby.

Aware of the other options on the table, O'Leary was impressed with Moseley's ambition and style of play and promised to finish his career helping the club regain their place in National One.

"I am very excited about this opportunity," the 31-year-old said. "I feel I still have at least another three or four years good rugby in me, my hunger for the game has not changed.

"I was looking for a challenge in which I believed. I didn't want to just go to a middle-of-the-road National One side who have no ambition, I wanted it to be a good cause and Moseley are exactly that.

"When I moved to Worcester it was to be part of a team that was fighting for something - to get into the Premiership and stay there - and we managed it. In that respect I see a lot parallels with Moseley. And it won't just be a one-year thing. I have come here to achieve something and intend to finish my playing days here."

Caskie, right-hand man of head coach Ian Smith, said: "Daren is a fantastic signing. He brings a wealth of experience and skill to the team that he can use to improve the other talented players we have got.

"His presence on the field will instill extra confidence in the rest of the team knowing they have someone of his pedigree on the pitch."

The club hope O'Leary could fill one of the troublesome centre positions although he has played mostly as a full-back or winger. He may have lost a yard of pace but, as well as his undoubted finishing ability, he also has a sound defence and will fit comfortably into Moseley's pod system of play having operated in a similar strategy at Gloucester.

O'Leary spent the last two seasons at Worcester, scoring 19 tries in the first, in National One, and helped them avoid relegation in their maiden Premiership campaign.

Prior to that he spent two years at Kingsholm and several seasons at The Stoop where he scored 65 times in the league and earned a callup to England A.

This article was originally posted on 20-Jun-2005, 08:51 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 20-Jun-2005, 08:53.