Veteran Haskell aims to end Wasps career on a high by landing another title

James Haskell was in typically maverick mood after his potentially penultimate appearance at the Ricoh Arena ended with Wasps climbing to third with a bonuspoint win over Worcester.

Haskell’s association with Wasps began in his teens and when asked if he felt he had a swansong title in him, he said: “I always feel like I’ve got a championship in me, whether I play in it or win it is another story.”

Regarding his future, he said he was still none the wiser as to where he would be playing next season, although the veteran of 77 England caps stated a preference to stay in England.

“If that doesn’t happen then you know you’ll be ending your international career so, if I do that, then I’ll pursue something I want to do, whether that’s Japan, Super 15 or France, or whatever it might be.”

After two one-point losses, Wasps looked more clinical with two first-half tries from man of the match, Christian Wade, and scores from captain Joe Launchbury and replacement wing Josh Bassett.

But they again wobbled in the closing 10 minutes, in part due to being down to 14 men for 20 minutes with yellow cards for blindside Jack Willis and centre Jimmy Gopperth. There was some debate over the second, given for a high tackle on second row Andrew Kitchener, but Haskell believes dwelling on it would have only hampered his side’s efforts to secure a bonuspoint try, which they did moments later through Bassett.

“You’re not going to change anything,” he said. “You just have to keep your composure and focus.”

Dean Hammond and Josh Adams scored late on for Worcester.