Rugby Dai points to fan power as Wasps face biggest test
OVER 30,000 are expected at the Ricoh Arena as Wasps and Saracens go head-to-head this afternoon, with a home semifinal up for grabs.
There are two changes in the backline, with Joe Simpson starting at scrum half and Danny Cipriani named at 10. Jimmy Gopperth switches to 12, Kurtley Beale to fullback and Willie Le Roux to the wing, with Josh Bassett moving to the bench.
After his late withdrawal last Friday through illness, Matt Symons returns to the second row alongside Joe Launchbury.
Jake Cooper-Woolley starts at tighthead and Nathan Hughes at number eight.
Phil Swainston and Guy Thompson will be ready to make an impact from the bench, where there is also a welcome return for Ashley Johnson who returns to the matchday squad after being
Kurtley Beale, Christian Wade, Elliot Daly, Jimmy Gopperth, Willie Le Roux, Danny Cipriani, Joe Simpson, Matt Mullan, Tommy Taylor, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Joe Launchbury (c), Matt Symons, James Haskell, Thomas Young, Nathan Hughes , Ashley Johnson, Simon McIntyre, Phil Swainston, Kearnan Myall, Guy Thompson, Dan Robson, Alapati Leiua, Josh Bassett
Chris Wyles, Mike Ellery, Marcelo Bosch, Nick Tompkins, Sean Maitland, Alex Lozowski, Ben Spencer, Titi Lamositle, Schalk Brits (c), Vincent Koch, Jim Hamilton, George Kruis, Michael ruled out since early April with a knee injury.
Ahead of the final game of the regular season, Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “These are the kinds of games players and coaches want to be involved in.
“It’s set to be a huge contest, top of the table against the reigning Premiership and European Champions, with a home semi final on the line and our record crowd for the season expected at the R icoh Arena.
“To have over 30,000 supporters is a huge boost for the squad. Whenever we’ve needed our supporters they have been there and this weekend is set to be another of those occasions.
“The challenge doesn’t get any greater than Saracens Rhodes, Jackson Wray, Jamie George, Richard Barrington, Petrus Du Plessis, Nick Isiekwe, Kelly Brown, Henry Taylor, Alex Goode, Nathan Earle
Wayne Barnes
Call 02476 786411 or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/wasps Perhaps based on Mark McCall’s selection comments, Wasps are 4/11 favourites to claim the win that will seal a home semi-final, while Saracens are available 11/5.
This translates into a seven match point advantage in the handicap market. who are used to these kinds of occasions. Traditionally Sarries’ game was built on a strong defence and strong setpiece, but they’ve expanded their game out of sight in the last couple of seasons and they’ve got quality players throughout all working hard for each other and they make very few mistakes. “As much as we respect Saracens, we have plenty of strengths of our own and we have every confidence that we have the quality to beat any team on our day, if we produce the performance we know we’re capable of producing. “We already have a semifinal to look forward to and a home semi-final is still in our own hands. “It’s now about trusting our structures, playing our game Oct 9 2016: Saracens 31-14 Wasps Apr 23 2016: Saracens 23-16 Wasps (European Cup) Feb 14 2016: Saracens 23-64 Wasps Dec 27 2015: Wasps 16-26 Saracens P21 W16 D1 L4 BP 13 PTS 79 P21 W16 D1 L4 BP11 PTS 77 Saracens are the most comfortable side in Europe when playing without the ball, and this incredibly robust defence has underpinned their assorted recent trophy wins. At the heart of this and getting the performance right.”
Meanwhile Schalk Brits will skipper Saracens. Brits, who made his 200th appearance for Saracens in the club’s win over Bristol last weekend, will be joined by Titi Lamosiele and Vincent Koch in the frontrow. At lock, Jim Hamilton will start alongside George Kruis with academy second-rower Nick Isiekwe named on the is each player’s willingness to both trust their system and that all teammates play their parts in it.
It is rare for Saracens to lose their defensive shape, and offer opponents the kind of opportunity that Kurtley Beale’s failed attempted interception handed to Harlequins last Friday evening.
It is therefore essential that Wasps stay patient in possession, as they did at the start of last season’s European Cup semi-final, when multiple phases eventually released Christian Wade down the right to create a try for Dan bench. Schalk Burger will pack down at No.8 in the Saracens back-row with Michael Rhodes (blindside flanker) and Jackson Wray (openside flanker) joining him in the back-row.
In the halves, RPA Young Player of the Year nominee Alex Lozowski starts at fly-half against his former club alongside Ben Spencer.
At centre, Nick Tompkins Robson. Attempting to force low percentage handling options, or to seek opportunities to chip ahead and recover, as they did last week at the Stoop is a recipe for disaster against a side whose forwards will eventually wear most opponents down if given more than their normal share of possession. “We know we can’t sit back and think we can get Sarries on a bad day. We’ve got to really go out there and try and take the game to them and look to win the game rather than hoping we don’t lose it.
“We know that we’ve got a good attack. We’ve scored 114 tries in the two main competitions this season and 97 tries last season, so we’ve added to our attacking threat.
“We won’t beat Sarries at their game, it would be a massive mistake for us to try and out-kick them.
“We’ve scored more tries that any other team from our own half, so why not play from there?
“I think we’d take a lot away from our game if we started saying let’s kick everything in our half.” “We’ll have one eye on the European Cup final following week. will wear the number 12 jersey alongside Marcelo Bosch.
In the back-three, Chris Wyles shifts to full-back with Sean Maitland (left wing) and Mike Ellery (right wing) joining him in the back-three.
With over 30,000 expected, supporters are encouraged to use the print at home ticket option and to arrive at the stadium early to avoid delays.
“It’s hard for our players to keep going. We’ve got to be sensible and make sure we’re at full strength for the games that really matter.
“We’ll send a highly competitive team; if we weren’t in the Champions Cup final we’d perhaps be sending a different side but it’s not the case.
“If I thought the home semi-final was all-important we’d probably send a different side, but we don’t believe it is. That would be nice, but Exeter and Wasps aren’t in the Champions Cup final the following week and we are. We’ve got to make some sensible decisions around that.”