Wasps making late surge for play-off spots
BUOYED by last week’s stunning win over Saracens, All Black centre Malakai Fekitoa insists Wasps can still have a big say in this season’s Premiership title race.
Crazy as it sounds for a team that have won just four of their opening 11 games, the topsy-turvy nature of this season’s league campaign means Fekitoa’s side go into today’s clash at resurgent London Irish just seven points off the play-offs.
Interim boss Lee Blackett makes just one change from the 60-10 win, with newly-capped Welsh international lock Will Rowlands coming into the side for Charlie Matthews.
“Of course we can still make the top four,” Fekitoa told The Rugby Paper. “I’m sure all teams are saying the same and everyone has a chance.
“It’s really tight at the moment so we’ve just got to keep picking up points. I’m used to play-off footy and it’s why we play the game. Everyone wants to win, it’s what the club is striving for and there’s an opportunity to do that – starting today.”
Today’s showdown doubles as a Super Rugby reunion, with former Highlanders man Fekitoa lining up along with Jimmy Gopperth, Brad Shields and Lima Sopoaga for Wasps as they take on an Exiles side brimming with antipodean internationals.
He added: “It’ll be good to go up against guys like
Adam Coleman, Curtis Rona and Nick Phipps – this is going to be a really big mental test for us. It was all smiles after beating Saracens but Irish have been winning and they’ve got great players.
“We’ve got a plan that hopefully we’ll execute, though, and against Saracens we showed we have the ability to play. We’ve just got to keep that going.”
The match also features a head-to-head between two of the Premiership’s inform young English wingers, with Exiles flyer Ollie Hassell-Collins, fresh from a four-try salvo against Gloucester, vying with Wasps’ Zach Kibirige to be the league’s top scorer.
Both have seven tries and Fekitoa believes Kibirige,
left, can push for higher honours, adding: “Zach’s a try-scoring machine for us and is really showing his class.
“He’s been working hard on his game and, along with Jacob Umaga, he’s another who can put his hands up now for England selection. He’s really connecting with our players and if he keeps working hard, I’m sure he’ll get himself involved.
“Jacob’s come back off camp with England and he’s growing as a leader all over the park, so it’s brilliant to see the confidence of those guys.”
Irish, meanwhile, make four changes to the side that humbled Gloucester, with Tom Parton returning at full-back, meaning Ben Loader switches to the wing in place of Matt Williams, with Ben Meehan rotated in ahead of scrum-half Phipps.
The forward pack remains largely intact, with prop Harry Elrington getting a run on the loosehead side as he aims to enhance a burgeoning reputation.
“Wasps had a great win over Saracens and they play an expansive game so it should be an entertaining match,” said Exiles rugby director Declan Kidney.