Birmingham Moseley rugby club celebrates a season of grit and growth

Founded in 1873, Moseley is one of the grand old names of English rugby, and its 2025-26 season showed that the club's fighting spirit is alive and well.

The first team, playing as Birmingham Moseley in National League 1, the third tier of the English game, finished 11th and faced a nervy relegation play-off. They rose to the occasion at Billesley Common, beating Luctonians 60-15 on 9 May 2026 and then edging Oundle 19-15 in the final a week later to secure their place in the division.

There was even more to celebrate further down the club. Moseley Oak, the amateur side, won Regional 2 West Midlands and moves up to Regional 1 for 2026-27, while the women's team earned promotion to Women's Midlands Championship 2.

The club was founded by members of Havelock Cricket Club who wanted a winter sport. For more than a century its home was The Reddings, leased in 1880 and bought outright in 1925, but the ground was sold after financial difficulties in the professional era and the last first-team match there was played in May 2000. After five years at the University of Birmingham, Moseley moved to Billesley Common in 2005, where a 750-seat west stand opened in 2015.

The honours board tells a proud story, from joint John Player Cup winners in 1982 to the National Trophy in 2009, when Moseley beat Leeds in the final. Internationals who have played for the club include England's Mike Teague and Victor Ubogu, Scotland's Ian Smith and Wales's Cory Hill, while Sam Doble remains the club's record points scorer.

Today Billesley Common is described as a sporting village, home to the First XV, the Women's XV, Moseley Oak, colts, minis and juniors and even walking rugby, with a community foundation linked to the club and the Reddings Suite available for events. Season tickets and memberships for 2026-27 are on sale, with an instalment option.

With home fixtures through the autumn and winter, a Saturday afternoon at Billesley Common is a great way to support one of the city's oldest sporting institutions.

Fixtures, tickets and details of every section are on the Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club website.