BRIAN DICK
Moseley will hold a club disciplinary hearing to decide what action, if any, to take over Neil Mason’s sending off at Leeds Carnegie on Sunday.
Club officials, including head coach Ian Smith, will gather in midweek to discuss the circumstances of the two yellow cards handed out to the back row forward by referee Mark Wilson and whether Mason will be allowed to feature in Friday’s match at Bedford Blues.
Mason will also appear before a Rugby Football Union panel after being sinbinned for a technical infringement in the first half at Headingley and dismissed in the second for clashing with a Leeds player as they competed for a high ball.
A ban must be considered unlikely, given the relatively mild nature of the offences and Mason is expected to escape with little more than an warning about future conduct.
Smith was less than impressed with his side’s first-half showing at Headingley in which they conceded four tries and managed just two penalties.
“We gave them too much time and possession,” he said. “When you do that the outcome is obvious. If you gift them opportunities they are going to take them and that’s exactly what happened. We just weren’t up to tempo.
“We were a little bit better in the second half. We gave it a go, got some width and arguably should have had a bonus point. We scored two tries and wasted two opportunities – ones we should have taken. We stuck at it but the better team won.”
Smith hopes to have prop Nathan Williams back for the trip to Goldington Road although Henry Trinder is still out with an ankle injury. Across the city Birmingham & Solihull have been handed an intriguing third round tie in the EDF Energy National Trophy having been paired with National Two leaders Redruth. The Cornishmen lead second-placed Bees by seven points and will visit Sharmans Cross Road on December 13 for a tie that will either be a telling psychological blow or a meaningless affair depending on selection.
