Dean Schofield faces one of the biggest challenges of his long career as he looks to help London Welsh survive in the Aviva Premiership.

The 35-year-old lock has experienced the highs of winning the title with Sale Sharks and playing for England, plus the lows of relegation with Worcester last season.

And as as he gets stuck into another dropzone battle, Schofield has no regrets about joining the Exiles last summer.

“Of course it’s a challenge, but at this stage of my career if I can help London Welsh achieve something, that would be great,” he said.

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“I have experienced quite a lot in a 14-year career. It is going to be tough.

“You don’t tend to find promoted sides sitting comfortably in mid-table.

“We have got some big games coming up and we have just got to knuckle down and look for small improvements each game.”

Schofield is one of several Exiles players in their mid-30s and he said it was important for the older heads to lead the way.

“We have got a number of senior players in the squad,” he said.

“We have just got to steady the ship. Nobody is panicking or flapping around.”

Schofield feels last week’s addition of Rowland Phillips as defence coach has given Welsh a real boost.

And he said it was vital for the squad to stay behind the entire coaching team.

“As senior players, we have got to be reinforcing that,” he said.

“We have got to stay positive and let the others know we are.”

Basement boys Welsh have picked up just one point from their first six Premiership matches, but Schofield insisted their effort could not be falted.

“You can’t work as hard as we are without seeing results,” he said.

“We are one of the hardest working sides I have ever been involved with.

“I am sure it is just around the corner, but I don’t want to still be saying that in February or March.

Schofield added: “Every promoted side has to find their feet in the Premiership.

“We are only six games in. If we can get a couple of wins, that would make a real difference.

“We are not 15 points adrift at the bottom.

“It’s just two wins and then we are back in the mix.

“It’s easy to have it trip off the tongue, but we have got to do it.”

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