England pair ruled out of Toulouse trip
ENGLAND internationals Nathan Hughes and Brad Shields have been ruled out of Wasps’ trip to face Toulouse in today’s European Champions Cup clash.
Both Hughes and Shields picked up injuries last week.
With Tom Cruse also in the physio’s room, and Will Rowlands and Lima Sopoaga rotated out of the starting line-up, it means that director of rugby Dai Young has given some of the players on the fringes of his squad a chance to shine against the French giants.
There will be three Champions Cup debutants in Black and Gold, with Charlie Matthews, Billy Searle and Ben Morris in the starting XV.
Searle and Morris start at fly-half and flanker respectively.
Searle gets his chance with Jimmy Gopperth out injured and Sopoaga dropping to the bench after a disappointing display against Toulouse at the Ricoh Arena. Playing in France against the four-time champions of Europe will not be daunting for the young ten, however. Searle played County Championship final rugby at Twickenham as a teenager, filled the fly-half boots during Bristol’s illfated 2016/17 Premiership campaign and made his home Wasps debut against Leicester Tigers no less. With Sopoaga struggling for form this is a golden opportunity for Searle to stake a claim.
Elsewhere, Ashley Johnson will start at hooker in place of Cruse, while Kieran Brookes has shaken off a rib injury to continue his run in the side at prop.
Matthews comes in for Rowlands in the second row with Nizaam Carr replacing the sidelined Hughes at the back of the scrum.
Searle will link up with fellow former Bristol man Craig Hampson in the half-backs while Michael le Bourgeois and Elliot Daly continue their partnership in the centres.
Selected among the replacements, Michele Campagnaro is also expected to make his first European appearance in Wasps’ colours. Academy back row Tom Willis, so impressive in recent weeks, is also set to come off the bench.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: “I don’t think we’re a million miles off where we want to be. We’ve looked a bit better as a team over the past two to three weeks.
“There are little things we’re not getting right at the moment though which could’ve been the difference last weekend.
“Toulouse are a team to be feared at home. They certainly step up their offloading game so we’re going to have to go out and put a performance in.
“We’ll have to do the basics well. It’s a good place to go and try and build something before going back into the Premiership but we have to better both sides of the ball.”
Toulouse are a team to be feared at home... so we’re going to have to go out and put a performance in.