Robson primed for key return to action
DAN ROBSON starts for Wasps against visitors Sale Sharks in today’s Gallagher Premiership Round 15 fixture while Paolo Odogwu has been named among the replacements.
Scrum-half Robson featured in all five of England’s Guinness Six Nations games as a replacement to move to 12 international caps.
Winger Odogwu did not feature in the tournament after earning his first senior call-up and will look to play his first minutes in 11 weeks from the bench.
Another England hopeful Alfie Barbeary, who made his return to action from a syndesmosis injury against Newcastle Falcons last week, starts against the same opposition he injured himself against in late December.
Jimmy Gopperth takes the number 10 shirt as Jacob Umaga and Lima Sopoaga are not named in the 23-man squad. Charlie Atkinson provides the fly-half cover and Matteo Minozzi comes in at full-back with Rob Miller left out of the squad.
Kieran Brookes has overcome the wrist injury that prompted his late withdrawal from the squad that defeated Falcons and Jeff Toomaga-allen has also shaken off his knee issue suffered in that 20-18 win to take his place on the bench.
The issues for Wasps are on the other side of the scrum as Tom West (groin) and Zurabi Zhvania (back) are ruled out, prompting Jack Owlett to provide cover in his secondary position, with Ben Harris starting at loosehead. Wasps sit in tenth place in the table, but only six points behind fifth-placed Northampton Saints. Sale lie fourth, 12 points above Wasps, as Lee Blackett’s side look to build up a winning momentum after ending a four-match losing streak last week.
“We can only focus on ourselves. we’re obviously reliant on things outside the club as well and results going our way,” said head coach Blackett.
“We will just focus on ourselves and go game by game. The most important thing for us is trying to get a result this weekend.
“We don’t really set long-term goals. We know where we want to be. We want to try and win things, but it’s not something we speak about. That’s just taken as a given.
“We set short-term goals. What we try and portray to the players, is going game by game and the most important thing for us is this weekend’s game.”
We will just focus on ourselves and go game by game. We know where we want to be
Lee Blackett
WASPS: 15 Matteo Minozzi; 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett; 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Dan Robson; 1 Ben Harris, 2 Tommy Taylor, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 5 Will Rowlands, 6 Brad Shields, 7 Thomas Young, 8 Alfie Barbeary.
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Jack Owlett, 18 Jeff Toomagaallen, 19 Theo Vukasinovic, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Sam Wolstenholme, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Paolo Odogwu.