No panic says Schmid

Posted on Apr 5, 2011 in Championship, Latest Rugby News

Mike Schmid insists there is no panic in the Esher camp despite blowing a chance to ensure Championship survival.

The Surrey side produced an error-strewn display to slip to a 27-22 home defeat by Moseley last weekend.

They now visit Plymouth on Saturday chasing the victory that will keep them up with a final home game against bottom -side Birmingham still to come.

Plymouth top the relegation group on 20 points with Esher on 17 and Moseley on 16 but the issue will be decided if Birmingham lose at Moseley on Sunday, which will see the Bees go through the trapdoor.

Schmid was bitterly disappointed with Esher’s display against Moseley, as they suffered back-to-back defeats against a side they had beaten home and away in the regular season.

Director of Rugby Schmid said: “We gave the game away. We made far too many errors and we have got to be better than that.

“Our error count – scrum, lineout, around the park – was huge, astronomical. Both teams were nervy because it was a big game but we’ve got to make sure we do more of the right things at the right time.

“But it’s not panic time. We have just got to relax now, re-focus and get back to playing the rugby we are capable of. It’s inside us.

“We have got two to play. We win at Plymouth and we are safe or Moseley beat Birmingham next week and we are safe.

“Plymouth are now safe so hopefully they might not have the same mental edge. But we have got to make sure we are hungry and doing everything we possibly can to make sure we play to our potential.

“Plymouth is always a tough game. We know their strengths and we have got to match their pack first and foremost. We can’t give them driving lineout opportunities and we have got to retain the ball and play with some good tempo.”

Skipper Dave Slemen admitted Esher wasted a great chance to ensure their Championship status against Moseley. He said: “We couldn’t get any continuity and kept dropping the ball. You can’t make that many mistakes and win games.

“But we can beat Plymouth. Let’s just hope that they are partying already because they are safe. We played well against them at home and if we keep playing rugby, we have a good chance.

“There’ll be some despondency for a couple of days but that will get turned around pretty quickly. It has to. If we’ve got to go to Plymouth and get a result and so be it.

“The fact is we are eight points above Birmingham with two games to do so we’re still in a pretty good place. “
Esher’s display against Moseley was littered with basic errors. Their lineout was a mess, knock-ons rife while their passing lacked precision.

Moseley’s gameplan was limited to their driving maul but Esher played into their hands with poor decision-making and conceding penalties to allow the visitors to establish field position.

Moseley took advantage to score an early try through Chevvy Pennycook only for Esher to edge into a 13-10 half-time lead with a Bob Baker try and the boot of Sam Ulph.

David Lyons burst over from a driving maul to put Moseley back in front after 48 minutes after referee Martin Fox somehow missed a blatant Moseley knock-on and then penalised Esher.

Ulph’s boot kept nervy Esher in touch and his fifth penalty after 67 minutes put them 22-20 ahead.

But with Championship safety in sight for Esher, Pennycook burst over for his second try after the scrum underneath the posts had been controversially reset by referee Fox.

Esher could justifiably claim they had been harshly dealt with by the official, but the truth is, they had only themselves to blame for keeping the bubbly on ice.

M. Winters

Schmid calls for reaction

Posted on Mar 28, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

MIKE SCHMID has demanded an immediate reaction to Esher’s shock 41-17drubbing at Moseley in Saturday’s home return against the Midland side.

The Esher chief accused his side of playing brainless rugby and lacking intensity in Friday’s Championship play-off defeat at Billesley Common.

The Surrey side still top the relegation group on 16 points but are now just seven points clear of bottom side Birmingham with three games to go.

But Director of Rugby Schmid was angry with the attitude of his Esher side against a team they had beaten home and away in the regular season.

Schmid rapped: “We had talked all week about matching their intensity because it was a must-win game for them after two defeats. But we did not do that and all credit to Moseley, they deserved to win.

“They certainly had the mental edge and I was so disappointed that we let in two late tries, including one with the last play of the game that gave them the bonus point.

“We played without our brains. They played at a frantic pace and we got lost in that a little bit and started chucking it around too early.

“Again, we had spoken about desire in the build-up and about the fact that the winners would be the team who wanted it most and that wasn’t us.

“It was similar to the Ireland-England game in that Ireland looked desperate to win and England weren’t.”

Schmid wants a return to the form against Moseley on Saturday that had seen Esher gain successive play-off wins against Birmingham and Plymouth.

He said: “This defeat has certainly given us extra motivation for Saturday. It is now a must-win game with a trip to Plymouth and final home game against Birmingham.

“We must make sure our preparation is spot-on and that we show the right attitude. There has to be a realisation that you don’t get second chances with only six play-off games.

“You can’t afford to blow opportunities otherwise the pressure builds. We have to make sure we are in the right frame of mind and play the right game.

“We are still in control of things with two home games still to come but we have to play to our potential. We let ourselves down but I expect a positive reaction on Saturday.”

Esher are boosted by the return to fitness of props Bob Baker and Dave Millard, who made his comeback off the bench in the defeat at Moseley.

Lock Paul Barker will also be available after requiring stitches in a gashed head in the victory over Plymouth.

Schmid added: “The second team had a good win over London Scottish and some of those players will be considered. We want in-form guys who are hungry.”

Relegation playoffs get tense as Albion visit Bees

Posted on Mar 28, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Bees face Plymouth Albion at home this Friday evening, 1st April, in what will be another crucial game in their Relegation Playoff Campaign.

With three matches played in the six game “mini league”, both Esher and Plymouth Albion have won two of their first three games, with Bees and Moseley having won one game a piece. However, taking into account win Bonus Points carried forward from the main Championship season and Bonus Points secured from the first three games, the Bees are currently at the foot of the table with 9 points, with Moseley on 12, Plymouth Albion on 15 and Esher leading the table on 16 points.

The see-saw nature of the Relegation Playoffs was underlined on Friday with Bees suffering a 35-24 away defeat at Plymouth, whilst Moseley secured a Bonus Point 41-17 victory at home to Esher.

“Last Friday’s game at Plymouth was incredibly frustrating. We cannot expect to win games where the opposition score 21 points from long range penalty kicks” said Bees Director of Rugby Russell Earnshaw, who himself left the pitch midway through the first half with a shoulder injury.

“It makes this Friday’s game all that more important for us and with the backing of vocal home support I know that our squad is more than capable of delivering a match-winning performance.”

The floodlit game against Plymouth Albion at Damson Park this Friday, 1st April kicks off at 7.45pm

Floodlit Friday beckons for Bees at Plymouth

Posted on Mar 24, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Birmingham & Solihull head down the M5 this Friday (25th March) for what they expect will be a testing Championship Relegation Playoff encounter against Plymouth Albion under the floodlights at Brickfields.

The Bees, who have made just one change to the starting line up that narrowly beat Moseley last week, know that playing against the Devonians on home soil is a tough ask, especially with the added pressure of a Relegation Playoff Campaign.

Speaking ahead of the game, Bees’ Director of Rugby Russell Earnshaw said, "Having lost to Esher last weekend and playing at home, we expect nothing less than a wounded Plymouth side who will be fully-fired up after a tough week’s training with Dawesy. This is the kind of fixture we all play the game for and the mood in the camp reflects this."

Winger Ollie Grove has come in for the injured Ian Davey, with Adam Clayton and Rob Connolly also named on the bench in an otherwise unchanged squad from the Moseley game.

The game at Brickfields on Friday (KO 7.45pm) will be the first of two back to back games against Plymouth Albion, who make the return trip to Damson Park on Friday 1st April for another floodlight game.

The Bees team to face Plymouth Albion at Brickfields is as follows: 1.Rob Dugard, 2.Ross McMillan (c), 3.Leo Halavatau, 4.Semisi Taulava, 5.Adrian Griffiths, 6.Mark Hopley, 7.Jack Preece, 8.Russell Earnshaw, 9.Jimmy Williams, 10.Mark Woodrow, 11.Ollie Grove, 12.Sam Cox, 13.Will Lawson, 14.Simon Hunt, 15.Tom Foden

Replacements: 16.Nglau Tau, 17.Matt Long, 18.Rob Connolly, 19.Adam Clayton, 20.Dan Sanderson, 21.Rod Petty, 22.Mitch Culpin.

Slemen warning to Esher

Posted on Mar 21, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Skipper Dave Slemen expects a Moseley backlash on Friday as Esher hunt back-to-back wins over the Midlands side that would clinch Championship safety.

Esher are riding high at the top of their relegation group after a Seb Jewell try double inspired them to a superb 38-15 victory over Plymouth last weekend.

The Surrey club are now nine points clear of bottom side Moseley on 16 points following their opening win at Birmingham.
Esher visit Moseley on Friday with the home return the following weekend knowing back-to-back wins will ensure a second successive season in the second tier of English rugby.

Esher claimed the double over Moseley in the regular season but Slemen insists they will not be taking them lightly as they scrap for their Championship lives.

Moseley were edged out 38-34 at home to local rivals Birmingham at the weekend following a defeat at Plymouth in their opening match.

Slemen said: “I’d imagine there will be desperation to their play and we certainly will be very wary of them.

“They’re a good side, especially at home, so we will be taking nothing for granted. If we don’t show the right attitude, we will lose.

“We are two games from being safe but we will continue to keep playing rugby. We feel we have a lot to prove in this league and want to make a statement by finishing top of the group.

“We are on a roll and it’s important to keep it going and take it into next season.”

Esher have now won five of their last season Championship matches after finishing ninth out of 12 in the regular season.

But the 38-15 victory over Plymouth last Saturday was one of their most impressive as Albion suffered their biggest league defeat since last October.

It was also Esher’s first win over the Devon side this season after a narrow 16-12 defeat at Brickfields in January and a 10-10 draw at Molesey Road in October.

Jewell capped a super display with his double and there were also scores for Tom Loizides, Phil Mackenzie and Tim Tunnicliff as Esher notched a try bonus point.

Slemen, son of former England star Mike, added: “It’s been a great start. It was a very good performance and we really kicked on after winning that opening game at Birmingham.

“It was one of those days where everything went well. We scored a couple of early tries and I think their heads dropped a bit.

“The forwards did really well and for most of the game our discipline and defence was very good.

“Plymouth’s game is very forward orientated and when they fell behind early on, I think they struggled to change their approach.”

Moseley visit Esher for the return fixture on April 2 and the Surrey side finish the play-off campaign with a trip to Plymouth followed by a home match against Birmingham.