Nutt tells Moseley to write their own history

Moseley president Derek Nutt has urged the current Red and Black vintage to write their own chapter in the club’s illustrious history. Nutt, the last Moseley captain to win a cup semi-final and only one to go on to lift a trophy at Twickenham, believes Ian Smith’s men have the ability to upset promotion-chasing Exeter when the two sides meet at Billesley Common on Saturday. Intriguingly the

match counts as a double-header with league points as well as a place in the EDF Energy National Trophy final at stake, following the rescheduling of the National One match that was postponed on January 3.

While relegation-threatened Moseley desperately need a boost in their battle at the bottom of the division, the club’s success-starved supporters will have their hearts set on a first trip to HQ since Nutt was in his heyday.

That was in 1982 when the back-row forward led his men to a last-four victory over Leicester at The Reddings.

That day’s 12-4 victory brought Moseley’s third cup final appearance in a decade and ended Tigers’ four-year unbeaten run in knock-out competition.

Nutt went on to guide his men to an unlikely 12-12 extra time draw with Gloucester later that year and as a result went down in history as the only Mose skipper to get his hands on what was then rugby’s only formal competition.

Things have changed since, the National Trophy no longer includes the game’s elite teams but a final at the most famous ground in the sport remains the alluring prize on offer.

And, despite the financial disparity between this Saturday’s contestants, Nutt thinks Mose could come through.

“Moseley has a great history but the boys could write their own chapter if they win on Saturday,” he said. “And they deserve to do it as well.

“They are a great bunch of guys and a good team, it would be fantastic if they get there.

“It’s a superb opportunity for them to create their own chapter. I have a real feeling we can do it as well. I have been watching us all season and we have got better and better.

“When we are on our game we are capable of getting a result against anyone and I really mean anyone.

“We put in fantastic performances against teams like Nottingham, Bedford, Doncaster and Cornish Pirates. One more on Saturday is not out of the question.”

If Mose can shock their guests, in their first semi-final since 1990 when Bath stormed The Reddings 21-7, they will face the winner of the other semi-final between Leeds Carnegie and Nottingham.

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