WELCOME BACK!
WASPS LEADERS: BRILLIANT TO HAVE THE SKY BLUES RETURNING TO RICOH ARENA
WASPS Rugby’s head coach and captain have welcomed Coventry City’s return to the Ricoh Arena.
The Sky Blues will end two seasons away from the stadium when the 2021/22 campaign gets under way after a ten-year agreement was announced recently between stadium owners Wasps and CCFC.
It will mean Wasps no longer have primacy of fixtures and will see their Premiership and European schedules tweaked to let football be played first on the pitch should both clubs have home games on any given weekend.
But bringing an end to the longrunning dispute was worthwhile, according to the club’s head coach Lee Blackett and skipper, Joe Launchbury.
“You never like any conflict,” said Blackett, 38. “I’ve probably felt what the fans have, we’re all on social media, you get abuse from someone who is a Coventry City fan, no-one likes to take it.
“It’s brilliant I think for us all to work together. I think it’s brilliant for the city to have the football team back. I really do.
“As I’ve said before, this is just Lee Blackett, this isn’t Wasps.
“But Lee Blackett wants Coventry City to do well.
“Lee Blackett wants Coventry Rugby Club to do well. I want all sports in the area to do well.
“And the club as a whole, we’re passionate about the sport. As you can see we’ve brought the netball here, you want the netball to do well, even though the Wasps women are down in London, we want them to do well. It’s the name, it’s what we’re about.
“Anything to do with this area, anything to do with the club and the brand, we want them to do well.”
Launchbury is Wasps’ most celebrated current player. The second row has won 69 England caps and is respected the world over as being one of the best in his position.
“I am personally delighted they’re back,” said the 29-year-old. “As a football fan myself, I think it’s important you play in your home city, I think that’s fantastic for them. I hope they finish the season strongly and manage to stay up. I am sure they will.
“If you’ve met Derek [Richardson, Wasps owner], he’s a lovely bloke. His intention was to come here and Coventry City were a big part of that and a big part of the community here. And we want to be a big part of this community.
“It certainly feels right, it certainly feels like a good fit to have there. I am glad it’s there for quite a few years. It’s a partnership moving forward now for us and a bit of stability for both sides. For me, it seems like a good result all round.”
Wasps and Coventry City are joining forces to raise the standard of the playing surface to allow it to host two sports over the coming years.
The surface has been relaid since the Sky Blues last played at the Ricoh Arena in 2019 and Blackett has had no complaints with it from a rugby-playing perspective.
He said: “I think the pitch overall has been in pretty good condition now for a couple of years. Obviously with the football, as a club, we’re well aware we’re going to spend a little bit more money on it and make sure it’s bang on.
“If you’re going to play rugby and football, and there’s a bad surface, it’s more footballers than rugby players who will be moaning about it, look, I am sure as a club and we have spoken already, there will be more spent on the pitch and making sure it’s right for both parties.”