An afternoon to remember

By Brian Dick on Mar 23, 09 01:41 PM in Rugby

I have been fortunate enough to watch rugby for a living for more than five years now and I've seen some wonderful matches and individual performances in that time.

And I've always said that Birmingham & Solihull's victory over London Wasps in February 2004 was the highlight of that period.

How the world marvelled as the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers dumped the biggest names in the sport on their illustrious backsides.

Saturday was another such occasion. Moseley's National Trophy semi final upset was cast from the same mould.

No, that's not quite right, rather it was the same cocktail of manic motivation and condescending complacency that left Exeter comatose in the gutter and Moseley intoxicated with their own success.

It's not easy to say which one was the more enjoyable.

Not that anyone was tipping Moseley to win but Bees' was certainly less expected. They were away from home against a Premiership side featuring the likes of Trevor Leota, Simon Shaw, Tim Payne and Tom Voyce. The nearest Exeter had to a household name was Josh Lewsey's brother.

But then that Bees team had no home-grown players, none who'd come through the system. They were expertly recruited professionals who came together that year to produce something special.

On Saturday Moseley had at least six or seven players they could call their own and that makes it all the more sweet.

And while Wasps certainly didn't want to be embarrassed on their own patch they might reflect that their quarter final loss was the best thing that happened to them as they went on to win the Heineken Cup.

For Exeter their whole season was riding on the outcome. It was a double header and in losing they waved goodbye to the cup and in all likelihood the league.

Not only was there a sense of history at Billesley Common, the win put Moseley through to Twickenham, all Bees got was a pasting at Newcastle Falcons. But they were on live television.

There was nothing seat-of-the-pants about Moseley's either. Ian Smith's side never trailed, they had the perfect gameplan and executed it to the letter. Bees did something similar but theirs was a white-knuckle ride of an afternoon.

Ah, you say, but Bees caused their shock in a more famous competition, the Powergen Cup was the direct descendent of the John Player and Pilkington and that's a fair point.

In short I don't know which one is more creditable, I find it difficult to say which was more memorable, I just count my blessings that I witnessed both.

That is not to say it wasn't cold up on Chillesley Common!