Wasps - 3rd

STORY OF THE SEASON: Brilliant, spectacular, entertaining, frustrating, heart attack-inducing, inept, baffling. All of the above has applied to Wasps this season and in the cold light of day, given the talent they have available, they have probably made slightly heavy weather of qualifying. Made a dodgy old start with four defeats in their first six games but then reeled off six wins on the trot to get back on contention. A couple of narrow defeats at Tigers and Sale made for a nervous finale but they got there in the end. STAND-OUTS: The difference between Wasps with Danny Cipriani and without is the difference between night and day. He is the facilitator who brings out the best in others, not least Jimmy Gopperth. Joe Launchbury and Jake CooperWooley have been superb up front, Thomas Young periodically brilliant, although he can go quiet. All the backs have enjoyed eye-popping games but Willie Le Roux more than most. STRENGTHS: Wonderful vibrant attacking force behind the scrum capable of scoring from anywhere, featuring the silky play-making of Danny Cipriani, the world class try making nous of Willie Le Roux who leads the Premiership with 21 assists, the gas of Christian Wade and Elliot Daly and so much else besides. Up front although they have to scrap for everything in the tight, they lead the league in turnovers with 149. WEAKNESSES: Give away tries too easily but their approach is always we can score more. More wounding is their frequent inability to put in an 80 minute performance which can cost them dear. Struggle to impose themselves physically up front, an Achilles heel accentuated by the unavailability of the injured Nathan Hughes and Ashley Johnson, who is suspended pending outcome of a positive test for doping. COACH’S CORNER: Dai Young must have the patience of Job! Outwardly a no nonsense prop of old school tendencies he is incredibly supportive of his all-singing, alldancing backs and encourages them to keep playing at all times, even after their approach has cost them games they should have won. MIRACLE MAN: Wasps probably have more than any team .... but there are things Christian Wade, left, can do and tries that he can score that are beyond the scope of any other English player. PREDICTION: A scintillating all guns blazing performance at the Allianz... but ultimately a narrow defeat against a Sarries team pulling out all the stops.