Macca's spirit can save Esher (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Macca's spirit can save Esher

10:00am Saturday 5th November 2011 in Esher By Stuart Amos

Director of rugby Mike Schmid believes centre Phil Mackenzie is the embodiment of the fighting spirit that can save Esher’s Championship necks this season.

The Canadian World Cup star scored his second try since returning from New Zealand, but finished on the losing side as Esher crashed 29-20 against Doncaster Knights.

Schmid’s men, still winless after nine league matches this term, travel to fellow strugglers London Scottish on Saturday knowing they must start picking up points if the dream of survival is to be realised.

And, with the likes of Mackenzie in his ranks, the Esher chief insisted his men still have a fighting chance of success.

“Phil is a quality player and a quality person,” he said.

“On and off the field he is exemplary. His commitment and professionalism is second to none and we have missed him.

“We still want to win rugby games and the more points we win in the regular season is only going to help us in the play-offs.

“We are competitive week in, week out and are impproving week on week too.

“We are starting to play some encouraging stuff going forward. We were disappointed at the weekend because we felt we created enough chances to score more points.”

Esher have been missing up to 24 first team players this season through injury and World Cup commitments.

They were handed a further blow last week when key summer signing Tom Cheeseman was ruled out until January having undergone shoulder surgery.

Prolific points scorer Sam Ulph, out with a groin problem all season, had surgery this week and will be out until the new year.

While skipper David Slemen is facing up to the prospect of an operation on a persistent back problem.

That could see him sidelined for three months, but Schmid remains positive.

“You are always going to struggle when you are missing the leadership skills of Tom, David and Sam,” he added.

“We’ve created some very good scoring opportunities and we need to be more clinical. That comes with experience.

“It is about confidence and maintaining the belief in what we are trying to do, because when we get it right, we know our approach works.”

And Schmid, who hopes to have Harlequins loan stars Tom Casson and Charlie Matthews back in action this week, hopes things click at the Exiles.

“London Scottish are an ambitious, full-time outfit with some experienced players looking to push them up into the Premiership,” he added.

“It is going to be tough.”