Mauler loaned to Mellie's Castle Grim mob
The Excellent Mauler
By Sparkie
December 11 2002
Darren Molloy has joined Gloucester on loan for four months with an option to renew the loan until 31 May, 2003. Nigel Melville requires cover at prop following the neck injury sustained by Trevor Woodman whilst on England duty.
London Wasps Director of Rugby, Warren Gatland said, "I feel Darren's loan to Gloucester will be beneficial to his career. Nigel Melville is looking for a regular first team prop and Darren has the credentials to meet this for the next few months."
As the press release hints, it is first team football that Mauler is after and, ultimately, this explains why he has chosen to move to Castle Grim on loan. Like all competitive first teamers, Mauler wants to start each match -- something he is not guaranteed at Wasps this season. So the double A international, Championship winner of 1996/97 and double Cup winner of 1999 and 2000 has taken the tough decision to rejoin his former coach at Gloucester.
In the modern era, where the electronic eye casts its unforgiving cybernetic rule over each and every player, I still think that there is a place for a player of Mauler's stature. Mobile he may not be but he is unstoppable in his own way.
As we saw during our ignoble defeat at home to Sale, Mauler still has fire enough in his belly to perform in the ZP. It's just a shame his unquenchable thirst to play football can no longer be through pulling on a black and gold jersey for the foreseeable future, athough he may yet return if Mellie decides not to take up the option to renew.
See you in January Mauler, we all wish you the best in this westward departure.
Postscript:
At the tail end of the somewhat eventful 2000-01 season we finished second in the Zurich Premiership and lost a closely fought playoff semifinal to Bath. Once the dust had settled and Hendo and LBND were packed off to the Lions tour, the RFU held a poll to find out which was the most popular unsung player of the Premiership. Mauler was put forward as Wasps entrant and, needless to say, he won. W4++'s report follows...
It's Official: The Excellent Mauler !
18 May, 2001
W4++ celebrates the RFU's award for excellence going to long-serving Wasps prop Darren Molloy.
Congratulations to Darren Molloy on being proclaimed winner of the poll to find the "Unsung hero of English Rugby". Mauler epitomises all that is good in the game. Our loose head prop has been with the club for ten years, joining from our neighbours Old Gaytonians.
The RFU's award for excellence went to long-serving Wasps prop Darren Molloy who has come to fill Paul "The Judge" Rendall's no. 1 shirt admirably. Another front-row warrior - 91 times-capped Harlequins loosehead Jason Leonard - won the outstanding achievement category. Jason could be vying for the no. 1 position at Wasps next season.
Darren turns in robust performances week-in, week-out and never fails to appear in the bar afterwards for a chat with the punters in traditional style. Mauler had the misfortune to miss most of our European campaign when he popped a couple of ribs at Swansea early on in the match. We were giving Swansea a good game at the time but we failed to stem the white tide in his absence. Ireland's selectors were said to be following Mauler that day, so the injury proved to be a double blow.
This award is recognition both for Mauler personally and for Wasps' ethos of nurturing home talent. How many clubs can boast a string of players who have risen through the ranks, bridging the years between amateurism and professionalism? Wasps has strong foundations on which to build a successful club from minis right through to the professional stratum. Kenny Logan winning the Golden Boot award for most points scored this season is yet more evidence that the balance is right.
Any club may be able to buy glamour but success is hard to achieve without paying attention to detail. Tonight Wasps Trustees will steer our club onto a new heading. The nub of the issue is where the club will be based now that Sudbury has all but disappeared under a new housing complex. Is it to be in Acton or at Centaurs? The vote at the EGM is crucial to the development of Wasps.