Wasps can inflict the deadly sting

WASPS will take a giant stride towards securing an Aviva Premiership home play-off if they beat Sale Sharks today.

A bonus-point victory at the AJ Bell Stadium would send league leaders Wasps 10 points clear following title rivals Saracens’ defeat against Gloucester on Friday night.

But Wasps rugby director Dai Young expects a testing encounter against opponents nine places and 30 points below his team in the Premiership.

“Sale has certainly been a tough trip for us,” Young said.

“We haven’t got a very good record up there, and have come away during the last two or three seasons thinking that it was a game that got away as they’ve always just done enough to beat us.

“Sale are on a good run at this moment in time, picking up some decent wins, so we know we will need to be mentally and physically on top of our game if we are to come away with the result we want.

“For us, we just try to turn it into another tough away game, which if we want to maintain our push to be in that top two, these are the games that we have got to win.”