Rupert Harden believes Moseley’s Championship fate rests with their forwards and more particularly the mindset with which the Red and Black pack completes the campaign.

Mose have just two regular season matches remaining and still the direction of their fortunes remains to be decided.

The chances of them finishing in the top eight and qualifying for the promotion play-offs appear to be receding, however, and would probably require an unlikely victory over Exeter this weekend or Bristol on March 13.

Which leaves Harden and his colleagues ruing missed opportunities earlier in the season – such as the last minute scores that allowed London Welsh and Cornish Pirates to leave Billesley Common with victories.

But for the 24-year-old even more disappointing have been the occasions when Moseley have failed to show up at all – such as the 14-3 defeat at Doncaster before Christmas.

“It’s been pretty frustrating because there have been a lot of games where we should have won but haven’t or should have played well but haven’t and you can’t really put your finger on why,” he said.

“If the forwards front up, we win. In the big games like Rotherham everyone was focused and buzzing and we totally shut teams down.

“The frustrating thing is maybe that hasn’t come out enough and you can only look at yourself as to why that hasn’t happened. Donny up at theirs we had a bit of a day off as a team. Other than that we have been pretty comfy.”

Indeed the Moseley scrum has become one of the best in the Championship, a fearsome weapon that has produced seven penalty tries.

With Terry Sigley, Nathan Williams and Harden as well as hookers Adam Caves and Dan Oselton to choose from it is clear why.

“When you have guys like Adams, Tex, Gully and Os and then two massive mutants pushing behind you, I think we have got one of the biggest sets of forwards out there.

“Having a big second row willing to push you is much better than if you have an oompa-lumpa. Whether it’s Aly Muldowney, Andy Hall or Richard Stott behind you, there is a real shove.

“What we’ve got to do for the rest of the season is make sure we get the intensity levels where they should be.”