Deadline Looms For Bees

Birmingham & Solihull are just hours from learning their fate as the RFU today consider an eleventh-hour bid to stave off insolvency at the debt-ridden club.

Bees chairman Brian Marshall has told the Birmingham Post that he is “quietly confident” a deal can be struck after a deal to inject funds into the club was apparently struck. It is also claimed that the club has contingencies in place to avoid the expected compulsory winding-up order for the Inland Revenue, who are owed a reported £93,000.

Marshall said,

"We are waiting for a response from the RFU to the proposals we have put forward involving a new set-up which is being supported by other parties, at a level sufficient to allow the club to go forward in the Championship. The committee deal with a lot but this is top of their agenda at the moment.”

Full story.. www.birminghampost.net

The Western Morning News reports that the Bees squad were stunned by the generosity shown by Pirates fans at Camborne on Sunday. A half time collection raised over £1,600 for the unpaid squad and Player/Coach Russell Earnshaw said,

“I told the boys that they would get a tremendous reception from the Pirates because they appreciate rugby here. They have come back from the bottom of the leagues, and understand what rugby is all about."

Full story.. www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/rugby

Injury Problems Ease At Bristol

Bristol Head Coach Paul Hull has told the Evening Post that flanker Redford Pennycook and hooker Ross Johnston could play against Coventry on Friday night despite suffering injuries on Saturday at Doncaster.

Johnston left the field on a stretcher with a knee injury whilst Pennycook was hospitalised with a neck injury.

Hull said, “Remarkably, they have both made good recoveries and we're waiting to see whether they are going to be available."

Full story.. www.thisisbristol.co.uk/bristolrugby

Chiefs Will Get Even Better - Jess

Exeter Chiefs wing Matt Jess has told the Express & Echo that he expects his club`s next three games against Bedford, Nottingham and the Cornish Pirates to make the unbeaten Chiefs even better.

He said,

“We have to put  our mistakes to bed because  we’ve got three hard games in  a row now with Bedford, Nottingham and then the Cornish Pirates.

“Everyone’s got the next  three games in their  heads. Nottingham are a  great team, the Pirates  have dropped off a bit after  a good start but they’re  still a great team and Bedford are as well.

“We can’t take our foot  off the pedal at the moment. If we have to grind  out the wins then that’s  what we’ll do, as long as  we’re winning we’ll be  happy. We’ll hone in on the  mistakes we made on Saturday and hopefully become a better side.”

Full story.. www.thisisexeter.co.uk/rugby

Nottingham In Welford Road Switch

Nottingham will play their home fixture against Exeter Chiefs at Welford Road, the home of Leicester Tigers, it has been confirmed.

The match on November 7 th will now kick off at 4.15pm to avoid a clash with the televised international between England and Australia.

The switch has come about as their landlords at Meadow Lane, Notts County FC, are at home in the FA Cup 1 st Round against Bradford City that weekend. Near neighbours Nottingham Forest are also at home in the same competition to Bristol City.

Nottingham director of rugby Glen Delaney told the Evening News,

“It's an exciting opportunity for us and we really want Nottingham to get behind us in what should be a top-of-the-table clash.”

"There should be some exciting rugby played and we want as many people to enjoy that as possible. We want to see as many of our fans down there as possible and we are looking into ways of helping people to get to the game to make it as easy as possible."

Full story.. www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/rugby

Shortage Of Fit Hookers Frustrates Dawe

Plymouth Albion will be without the services of hooker James Owen and centre Sione Tu`ipulotu for Saturday`s visit of Nottingham to Brickfields.

Player/Coach Owen has an elbow problem whilst Tu`ipulotu is still recivering from a knee injury.

Albion chairman of rugby Graham Dawe is, according to The Herald, considering a dip into the loan market to ease his problems at hooker. Joe Clark and Rupert Freestone have also been unable to train this week.

Spanish fly-half Jaime Nava will be out of action for two months after surgery on his broken thumb.

Full story.. /www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/albion