There will be a new team on the block in the West Midlands next season and they will be called the Cobras, which is not to follow the fashion for marketable titular appendages, i.e, Shoguns, Falcons and Sharks.

This is a genuine acronym. It stands for City of Birmingham Rugby Academy and while it emanates from Moseley, it embraces the entire area. As the name suggests, it will be based on the academy system and will take the place of Moseley Colts, who will be disbanded.

John Beale, Moseley's director of rugby, articulates the scheme which is aimed at the 17 to 19 age-group. "We are trying to establish a tier below the National Academy," he said. "We are trying to fill what is rapidly becoming a void.

"The National Academy develops full-time professional players of the future but there are levels below that, the amateurs and the semi-professionals. They may not make it to the top but they still need to be encouraged and developed."

There has been a noticeable decline in number and standards at junior rugby level in the West Midlands and this is what the Cobras will address. Moseley have projected the initiative but they are seeking a lasting partnership with all the clubs in the area.

The Cobras will play as a team and the additional intention is to take the squad and their coaches around as many local clubs as are interested. "We can help the other clubs," Beale said. "We can help those players coming out of their 19th year most of whom, probably, won't make it as semi-professionals but they will still return as better players to the clubs that they came from."

A number of local clubs have already been approached and Beale reports that the initial response has been encouraging.

The North Midlands has traditionally been strong at junior level but two years have now passed since they made an impact on that area of the game and questions are being asked. Beale said: "I don't think we're going to get an influx of great players but I do think that this scheme is going to evolve."

Moseley's immediate concern is their National League Two clash with Esher at Bournbrook on Saturday. They have a score to settle.

By Beale's assessment, Moseley's defeat at Esher earlier in the season was their worst performance so far. In retrospect, it probably threw the club's promotion challenge off the rails.

"That defeat grates and our overall record against Esher is not one that we're proud of," Beale said. "This week, we're on a mission to set that record straight."

Esher's league position does not reflect the club's apparent wealth but they have recruited, notably Matt Leek at fly-half. He played more than the occasional tidy game for Coventry before John Higgins displaced him.

Moseley will be close to the side who won at Harrogate but Neil Bayliss, injured during training this week, could be replaced by Paul Coles at prop forward.

Coles has been on loan to Dudley Kingswinford. "And he's come back a better player," said Beale, offering DK one of the few compliments that come their way these days.