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Inverdale will be presenting BBC TV’s day-long coverage of the RBS 6 Nations ‘Super Saturday’ from Stade de France in Paris but as a former Esher player and now valued fund-raiser and committee member with 22 years’ worth of devotion to the club, he will keep an eye out as always for mobile telephone updates of the score from Sandy Park.
“I think Esher kick off at 3pm at which point we in Paris will be watching coverage of Wales v Italy,” said Inverdale, whose last first XV match as a player was against North Walsham in 1996.
“Dave Page, our first team manager, sends me text updates every 15 minutes or so. There are a couple of problems with this. One is making sure I get a signal in a TV truck in the bowels of Stade de France. The other is if Dave delays things I am never quite sure whether the score has changed or stayed the same or some other mishap has befallen the team.”
Mike Schmid, the former Canada No.8 who coaches Esher in National Division One – they were promoted to their highest level yet last summer – paid tribute to Inverdale’s work raising the profile of a “well rounded club” proud to be fielding eight men’s teams and hosting 600 kids every weekend.
“John was at our league match against Northampton last Saturday,” said Schmid, “and he watches every level of rugby we play. There cannot be another club who have had such a guest list to dinners and fund-raisers: Clive Woodward, Jonah Lomu, Eric Rush and loads of top cricketers.
“I am in my third season coaching Esher and I am very happy here. There are rugby people running the club and they have got a sensible approach to what they want.”
Esher’s part-time squad are 11th in National Division One and in front of a record home crowd of 2,500 the Surrey club led Northampton 10-5 at half-time before slipping to a hefty defeat by the fully professional league leaders.
For the EDF Energy National Trophy last-eight tie at Exeter – another full-time club who are second in National One – Schmid will field a line-up similar to the one which gave Saints a run for their money.
Rob Henderson, the former Ireland and Lions centre, will wear the No.12 jersey, and captain Duncan Cormack has made a successful return to loosehead prop after two months out with a broken thumb.
Henderson has recently been missing with an ankle injury and took the chance to work as a BBC pundit at the France v Ireland match a fortnight ago.
But the ex-London Irish, Wasps and Munster man – who joined Esher from French club Toulon last summer – has chosen the field of play at Exeter over the commentary box this time.
“That’s a great commitment by Rob to the boys in the team and to the club,” said Schmid.
“Exeter are a good side with a fine stadium and we expect them to be on top form. We lost [47-13] at home to them in the league before Christmas when we sat back a bit and let them play.
“We have got to take a few more risks and see what we can get out of the game.”
Centre Bevon Armitage – the brother of London Irish duo Delon and Steffon – is available again for Esher after playing IRB Sevens in the USA for West Indies.
Other players in the selection mix are on-loan Harlequins wing Charlie Amesbury and ex-Border Reivers full-back Dougie Flockhart who is Esher’s top try scorer.
EDF Energy National Trophy, quarter-final fixtures:
February 23:
Bedford v Northampton
Exeter v Esher
Nottingham v Launceston
Rotherham Titans v Plymouth Albion
EDF Energy Intermediate Cup, quarter-final fixtures:
February 23:
Chester v Basingstoke
Newport v Middlesbrough
Old Albanians* v Bracknell
Staines v Birkenhead Park
* Old Albanians reinstated after disqualification of Coney Hill
EDF Energy Senior Vase, London/South West quarter-final fixtures:
February 23:
Berry Hill v Hartpury College
Cullompton v Dover
EDF Energy Junior Vase, London/South West quarter-final fixtures:
February 23:
Cheshunt v Tewkesbury
Southmead v Chiswick
Ends
Notes to editors
EDF Energy is supporting rugby from the grassroots to the elite – through the EDF Energy Cup, EDF Energy National Trophy, EDF Energy Intermediate Cup, EDF Energy Senior and Junior Vase. At grassroots, the energy company is introducing 112,000 primary school children to the sport through the EDF Energy National Schools Rugby Programme. Parent company EDF was a sponsor of the IRB Rugby World Cup 2007 and EDF Energy an ITV broadcast sponsor. EDF is also a major partner of European Rugby Cup Ltd, organiser of the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.
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