Rugby Union / Pilkington Cup: Everything in the Gardens is rosy for Corless

Northampton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Moseley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

BARRIE CORLESS refereed a mini rugby match, exchanged his tracksuit for collar and tie for the main event and finally, in freezing evening, ran his eye over the under- 21 side who followed the example of their seniors by gaining a comfortable victory over Llanelli. In Franklin's Gardens, Northampton's director of coaching does not allow the grass to grow beneath his feet.

Not since the days of Jeeps and Butterfield have Northampton enjoyed such a high profile and Corless has been at the heart of the revolution. When the Saints were marching into oblivion, new blood and new money took control of the club and Corless, then an RFU coach, was appointed as one of the first full-time, fully paid coaching executives. What he has done for Northampton he might have been able to do for his former club, Moseley.

'They approached me two years ago and although I'd have enjoyed going back to the old club the timing wasn't right,' Corless said. Moseley, once a power in the land, now find themselves in Northampton's old, down-at-heel shoes and the only surprise about Saturday's Pilkington Cup quarter-final result is that they were not beaten by 50 points.

Corless is reaching the end of his five-year contract with Northampton. 'I'm hoping the club will renew the contract,' he said, sounding for all the world like a football club manager. 'I'm meeting the chairman on Friday. I've had several offers from other clubs, two in the last week.'

With professional back-up - the club has a finance committee, a business planning committee and a hospitality and sponsorship committee - Corless has had virtually unlimited success. The priority was to get Northampton into the First Division and then get them equal status with Bath, whom they have beaten in the league this season. 'Now we've got to win something,' Corless said. 'The league or the cup. We know we can beat anybody that is left in the cup.'

How can Moseley, with potentially greater backing in Birmingham, follow Northampton's fall and rise? 'The first thing we had was a very well thought-out business plan and as the commercial side grew they let me develop the playing side,' Corless said. 'Recruitment was one of the secrets but we also had a structure to produce good players. Our policy was to go for the best youngsters to build a side for the First Division while we were in the Second. A lot of clubs get a load of players and hope that some will come through. We have been more selective and we have created an environment, through coaching and training facilities, that makes good players better. Four years ago nobody had heard of Tim and Ian.'

Tim and Ian are Rodber and Hunter of England. 'Once it starts it maintains its own momentum. Membership is up from 500 to 3,000 and a lot of players have been phoning us to join. We are turning away as many as we are accepting. You've got to be divisional or England A standard to get in the side.'

Another factor was the recruitment three years ago - Northampton are in only their third year in the First Division - of the All Black Wayne Shelford, who has brought on some of the younger forwards a season earlier than the club expected. Shelford, who missed Northampton's Cup final appearance two years ago, will be in the side should the Saints go marching on to Twickenham and it would be his final appearance. 'He's been offered money, even more money, in South Africa or Italy next season,' a Saint remarked.

Presumably Moseley's recruitment of Mike Teague was expected to produce similar results but on Saturday the Moseley back row, against one of the strongest packs in England, were not able to pull their fingers out. They were trying to save the dam.

When Shelford leaves, young Rodber, an officer in the Green Howards, will play in his favourite position at No 8 and he could lead the pack. 'He's a good general,' Corless said. Paul Grayson, who joins from Waterloo, is expected to form a partnership with the England A scrum-half, Matthew Dawson, but there may be a place for a young tight-head prop. Gary Pearce, born in the year of the Suez crisis, wants another season but Corless is already working on a fresh five-year plan.

Northampton: Tries Shelford 2, Beal, Rodber, Thorneycroft, Packman; Conversions Steele 2; Penalty Steele. Moseley: Tries Spiller, Raymond; Conversion Massey; Penalty Massey.

Northampton: J Steele; J Griffiths, N Beal, F Packman, H Thorneycroft; S Tubb, M Dawson; G Baldwin, J Olver (capt), G Pearce, M Bayfield, J Etheridge, P Walton, W Shelford, T Rodber.

Moseley: S Purdy (W Hart, 59); D Spiller, I Bancroft, B Massey, G Bartlett; M Hardcastle, N Parry (B Fenley, 29); M Linnett, D Ball, P Mitchell, C Raymond, M Proctor, M Teague, P Shillingford (capt), B Barr.

Referee: B Campsall (Yorkshire).