Wasps seek new direction after the decline and fall of Young’s exciting team

After several seasons in reverse, can thrashing of Saracens be the turning point? asks Ben Coles

It is probably a blessing that Lee Blackett, now Wasps’ interim head coach, has had so little time to process Dai Young’s departure after nine years as director of rugby. News of Young’s departure was announced in midweek ahead of the game against Leicester two weeks ago. The former British and Irish Lions prop carried the club on his back during their lowest ebb at the start of the decade, before transforming them into one of the best sides in England. He departed with Wasps having won three out of nine games in the Premiership.

Young was Wasps’ fulcrum, dipping into his own pocket to buy medical tape during the club’s financial crisis. As Wasps struggled early this season, the sight of him, pained by poor displays, admitting Christmas was cancelled was difficult to watch. Few directors of rugby have given more to the cause and been as visibly moved by the highs and, latterly, the lows.

“It has been tough. Tough for the players, especially, who have been here a long time. The news was a shock for us all,” admitted centre Malakai Fekitoa, one of Young’s last recruits in the summer.

Their decline has been gradual. Of the side who started the 2017 Premiership final, which ended in an extra-time defeat against Exeter, only five are still at the club: Jimmy Gopperth, Dan Robson, Thomas Young, Joe Launchbury and Tommy Taylor.

Wasps that season were a monumental attacking threat, leading the Premiership on average per game for tries, metres made, clean breaks, points and defenders beaten, but also in defence, with the best tackle success percentage. Now they are one of the worst in that area, while their attack has regressed, putting them back in with the rest of the pack.

Choosing which of the recent departees has been the biggest loss is no easy task. Elliot Daly, Nathan Hughes, Willie le Roux and Christian Wade were all pivotal and have moved on. Perhaps it might be Danny Cipriani, who joined Gloucester and was named Premiership Player of the Season in his first campaign at Kingsholm. All Blacks fly-half Lima Sopoaga, recruited to replace him, is yet to hit the same heights.

While Blackett clearly has the utmost respect for Young – “He put all of the staff together here and cares a lot about the people. He genuinely wants the club to do well” – Wasps have to move on, with the next challenge being in-form London Irish tomorrow.

They made a good start eight days ago. The 60-10 thrashing of Saracens surprised everyone except Blackett, who had an inkling during the warm-up that something was about to click. Even so, running eight tries past the Gallagher Premiership champions marks some turnaround. Young’s service was honoured with a round of applause in the ninth minute to mark his time at the club.

“You felt like it was coming,” Blackett said. “The attitude was incredible going into the game. You could feel in the warm-up that something special was happening.”

Blackett was keen to take the pressure off Wasps at the Ricoh Arena, conceding that the players had looked nervous playing at home, hindered by the pressure of a poor run of results. From the outside, the 27-0 defeat by Bordeaux-begles was particularly alarming. The message ahead of facing Saracens, for the players to enjoy themselves, is one they appeared to take to heart.

Early in the season, you could have understood if Fekitoa had been wondering what he had let himself in for. Accustomed to off-field chaos at his former club Toulon, the All Blacks centre, whom Wasps need to become a pillar of their back line, appears to be settling. “I’m sad to see Dai move,” he said. “But the only way I can repay that is to play really well and to keep doing my job.”

One bright spot amid the gloom this season has been Jacob Umaga, the 21-year-old No10 called up by England for the Six Nations. Umaga’s time at Pennyhill Park has had an enormous effect.

Under their interim head coach, Wasps plan to adopt an attacking philosophy under which Umaga and Fekitoa can thrive.

Young could not have put more passion or heart into Wasps. Now Blackett has to find a way to get the club smiling again.