Young gun is new Jack the lad at Wasps!

JACK Willis’ reign as the Coventry Telegraph’s Wasps player of the month is over but only just!

The all-action back row has been in scintillating form for Wasps this season, earning him our monthly award in both Thomas Young November and December. But the January award wasn’t to be thus denying him a hat-trick.

Wasps played twice in the Premiership against Northampton Saints and Worcester Warriors, either side of their final European Challenge Cup pool stage games against Agen and Bordeaux Begles.

The monthly score is an average of our player ratings from across that month. Players must have played at least 25 minutes in a game to have qualified for an individual game rating, and featured in at least 50 per cent of that month’s games to be in the running for a monthly award.

Here are our top five Wasps performers in January.

1. Thomas Young ............ 8.25

Only featured in two of the games across the month but was hugely influential in both. Stunning display of defence against Northampton, and was tireless at Sixways.

2. Jack Willis ...................... 8

Brilliant against Worcester, scoring his sixth try of the season. One of the few to come out of the Bordeaux with some credit.

3. Tom West ...................... 7.5

Perhaps a surprising inclusion given he’s arguably Wasps’ fourth choice loosehead prop. Was superb against Northampton.

4. Jimmy Gopperth .......... 7.4

Featured in all four games in January, if he’d have missed the Bordeaux game, the monthly award would likely have been his. Gopperth scored four tries across the month as well.

5. Malakai Fekitoa .......... 7.25

The Kiwi’s performance against Northampton Saints was a fine way to start the year. His physicality was a massive asset in attack and defence. Not as prominent against Bordeaux.