Blackett forced into 4 changes
WASPS’ front row has been hit hard by the repercussions of the coronavirus outbreak that threatened their involvement in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final against Exeter.
Props Kieran Brookes and Simon Mcintyre are among four players cruelly ruled out of the climax to the English season due to contact tracing protocols. Tom West and Jeff Toomaga-allen take their places.
Number eight Brad Shields, who has been playing his best rugby since arriving into the Premiership in 2018, also misses out in the wake of seven players returning positive tests for Covid-19 so Tom Willis slots into the back row.
Teenage sensation Alfie Barbeary completes the quartet, dashing the hooker’s hopes of securing a bench role for the Twickenham showdown.
In total there four changes to the starting XV that thumped Bristol 47-24 in the semi-final.
Big-hitting centre Malakai Fekitoa has lost his battle with a groin injury, so Juan de Jongh slots in at 13.
“If we are all being honest, it hasn’t been ideal preparation, but I have to give credit to the players because they have coped with it admirably,” said head coach Lee Blackett.
“A lot of credit must also go to the staff. The amount of work that they have put in behind the scenes to allow us to play in this game is phenomenal.
“It has been a difficult week in terms of all of that, but the one thing that we spoke about at the start of the season is being adaptable.
“Now the players will do everything they can to put in a performance on Saturday.
“We know it will be tough, Exeter deservedly finished top of the league this season, but we are confident with the form that we can take into the game.”
15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett; 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson; 1 Tom West, 2 Tommy Taylor, 3 Jeff Toomaga-allen, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 5 Will Rowlands, 6 Jack Willis, 7 Thomas Young, 8 Tom Willis
16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Ben Harris,18 Biyi Alo, 19 James Gaskell, 20 Ben Morris, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Michael Le Bourgeois