Dai demanding more as eight changes made
WASPS make eight changes to the side which beat Ulster last Thursday for tomorrow’s visit from Connacht.
Dai Young’s selection for the second pre-season game hands starting jerseys to Nathan Hughes and Matt Mullan, both of whom were part of England’s successful summer tour to Argentina.
However, the Ricoh Arena faithful must wait a little longer to see British & Irish Lions James Haskell and Elliot Daly, plus Joe Launchbury and Thomas Young, who were respectively part of England and Wales’ summer action.
Willie le Roux plus last season’s long-term injured duo, Kyle Eastmond and Sam Jones, will also not have taken part in either of Wasps’ pre-season outings.
Young, who professed himself as broadly satisfied after the 26-15 win in Belfast, returned to a typical preseason ongoing improvement theme ahead of the Connacht clash.
“We were pleased with the performance last week in Ulster, and it’s always great to kick off pre-season with a win, but we’re also aware that there’s still a lot to work on.
“The squad have put in a lot of hard work during the pre-season and it was good to see a lot of it come together in a good team performance on Thursday night. We’ll be looking to build on this back home at the Ricoh Arena.
“We faced Connacht twice in last season’s European Champions Cup, in what were two fantastic contests, so we know exactly how tough a challenge it will be.
“A game against a tough Connacht side will be a good chance for some of the final pieces to click into place ahead of the Premiership.”
Wasps fans will get a first chance to see new signing Juan de Jongh in action, while Jimmy Gopperth’s selection at fly-half, inside the Springbok and Fijian Gaby Lovobalavu, may provide an indication of Young’s preferred midfield combination to face Sale on September 2.
Dan Robson replaces Craig Hampson at scrum-half, while Mullan and Matt Symons step up at loose head and in the second row.
Second row James Gaskell starts on the blindside flank, as he did on a number of occasions last year, alongside Guy Thompson and Hughes. Only Marty Moore and Joe Simpson of the 12-man bench did not see any action last week.
Gloucester have become perennial underachievers, who promise much, produce some robust performances at Kingsholm, but deliver too little end-product elsewhere.
The fact that their last appearance at the European top table is now as long ago as 2013/14 speaks volumes about their inconsistency at domestic level. That said, Wasps were well-beaten at Kingsholm last year, and in truth also finished more comfortably second there in 2015/16 than the 13-10 scoreline suggested.
The cherry-and-white’s fortress is in some ways a mixed blessing for Humphreys’ team, since while the partisan crowd provides them with a lift, the heavy pitch they have to overcome in the winter months is not conducive to a back-line which in that time has featured speedsters Charlie Sharples, Jonny May, James SimpsonDaniel and Matt Scott.
So it is fair to conclude that their boss - the always charming and considered Humphreys - badly needs his team to produce a more consistent campaign this time round. Regrettably, it’s not easy to be positive about Gloucester’s prospects. Their formidable home record should just keep them afloat, however the shedheads might first endure a long relegation battle.