All time Wasps XV?
Tin hat time but here goes anyway. My criteria is threefold. Players will be considered purely on their contribution to Wasps, no heed whatsoever will be paid to their international careers. No current players are eligible and, finally, when in doubt I have veered towards those who spent the greater part of their careers at the club.
15 Josh Lewsey:
Phenomenal performer anywhere in the back three or indeed centre. Product of the club who enjoyed a spell at Bristol before returning to Wasps when his University studies ended. 78 tries in 266 Wasps games.
14 Ted Woodward:
Blockbusting Lomuesque type England wing who scored three tries as a 17-year-old schoolboy when Wasps beat Quins in the final off the 1948 Middlesex Sevens. Played for Wasps for 17 years, ending up captaining the side from No.8.
13 Fraser Waters:
Mr Reliable. Ringmaster of the clubs’ blitz defence, twice a European Cup champion, MOM in the 2007 final. Should have won a stack of caps. 220 Wasps appearances, 40 tries.
12 Mark Taylor:
Stayed on after the 1978 All Blacks tour for some fun rugby and ended up starring for Wasps for five years and becoming a guiding light at the club, demanding a step up in standards and fitness.
11 Tom Voyce:
Underrated but deadly operator, mainly on the wing but occasionally at full-back; 43 tries in 124 appearances for Wasps. Paul Sackey was another trypoacher par excellence with 43 in 121 club appearances
10 Alex King:
At the helm during the most successful decade in Wasps history. Often ceded goalkicking duties to others but still accumulated 1000 points in 170 Premiership games including 33 dropped goals. Just pips Rob Andrew
9: Nigel Melville:
Totally spoilt for choice with the likes of Rob Howley, Matt Dawson, Andy
So versatile: Josh Lewsey
Gomarsall and the excellent Eoin Reddan enjoying spells at the club, but Melville was both an early star and a massively important coach.
1 Craig Dowd:
The great All Black made a massive impact during his four-year spell as a player and equalled that off the field with another three years as scrum coach
2 Trevor Leota:
A rampaging bull of a hooker, a 20 stone back playing in the forwards. Force of nature, huge crowd favourite. His darts throwing was his one weakness, that and boxes of Kentucky fried chicken. 202 games 35 tries.
3 Jeff Probyn:
Incredibly awkward customer to scrummage against at tight head and a mainstay of the Wasps pack when they made such an impression in the early days of the old Courage League.
4 Dean Ryan:
A wonderfully stroppy and intimidating back five forward yet a player with all the skills as well. Ensured nobody ever messed with Wasps. Just heads off Garrick Fay, ‘Storming Norman’ Hadley, John Hart and Richard Birkett
5 Simon Shaw:
Put in a monumental shift between 1997 and 2011 and was involved in all the club’s triumphs during that period. A record 339 games for the club, 25 tries and THAT droppedgoal against Bath in 2000.
6 Joe Worsley:
Worsley and Roger Uttley were peas in a pod in terms of commitment and physicality but Worsley gets the nod on account of life-long on-field devotion to the club. 313 games for Wasps and too many tackles to count.
7 Tom Rees:
Alas injury shortened his career when true greatness beckoned but Wasps saw the very best of Rees. A mighty all-purpose seven whose style heralded the likes of Michael Hooper and David Pocock.
8 Lawrence Dallaglio (Capt):
Ultimate one club man. Brought Test match intensity to every single Wasps game. Never daunted, great leader, very loyal when big offers came his way. Mr Wasps.