Haskell forced off as Wasps edge by Leicester

WASPS returned to the English Premiership summit by edging Leicester 22-16 on Sunday in a match that saw England flanker James Haskell’s comeback swiftly curtailed by injury.

Haskell made his return from a toe injury as a second-half substitute, but was forced off almost immediately after hurting himself in a tackle on Leicester’s Freddie Burns.

Wasps rugby director Dai Young gave a positive initial prognosis, but admitted Haskell faces a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s key European Champions Cup clash with Toulouse.

“He is totally fine now,” Young said. “He had a real big hit and had a bang on the head, so he has got to go through the protocols.

“It was the best 36-second comeback ever, so he is having a bit of a ribbing off the boys, but all jokes aside, thank- fully he is OK. He took a nasty bang to the head.

“It’s a six-day protocol, so he has got to tick all the boxes. It’s certainly touch and go [for the Toulouse game]. It’s certainly going to be tight.”

Wasps were 19-0 up before half time fol low i ng t r ies by Christ ia n Wade, Tommy Taylor and Dan Robson, but Leicester made a game of it in the second ha l f i n t hei r f i rst match si nce Richard Cockerill’s departure.

Cockerill was sacked as rugby director last Monday, with head coach Aaron Mauger stepping in on an interim basis, and the New Zealander would have been encouraged by the visitors’ second-half fightback.

Wasps move back above defending champions Saracens, who drew 13-13 with Exeter on Saturday, while Leicester return to fifth place.