The Rugby Paper

Gaskell’s just loving fun side of Wasps

- NEALE HARVEY

WASPS workhorse James Gaskell is enjoying his rugby more than at any stage of his career and aims to finish his playing days with the ambitious Midlands outfit.

Gaskell, 30, who has racked-up 272 appearance­s for Wasps, Sale, England Saxons and U20s and the Barbarians as a versatile second row-cum-flanker, says the buccaneeri­ng style of his current side suits him perfectly as he looks to embellish a fine career with silverware.

Gaskell, who turns 31 in May and has 18 months of his contract remaining, said: “In terms of enjoying my rugby and how my body feels, it’s definitely the best of my career.

“Playing with the lads we’ve got is so much fun and as long as I’m enjoying it, I’ll keep going. I’ve enjoyed every moment in my six years here and if I can finish my career here, I’d be absolutely over the moon.”

Gaskell, a hugely experience­d campaigner who became the Premiershi­p’s youngest permanent captain at Sale in 2010, added:

“I’m past 30 now and people are starting to call me the ‘old boy’, but the only thing I can do is play well and if the club see me still being part of it post the end of this contract, that would be fantastic.

“I’m coaching at Old Edwardians with Jimmy Gopperth, which is good, my missus has a job here and we’re fully invested in the Midlands lifestyle. It’s closer to our northern roots than London was and we’re settled really well.”

Chief among Gaskell’s reasons to stay is his devotion to Wasps’ brand of attacking rugby.

Last week’s compelling 52-44 win at Bath was reportedly described by watching England boss Eddie Jones as ‘terrible’, but Gaskell counters:

“Most coaches wouldn’t be impressed by that sort of thing and Ian Costello, our defence coach wasn’t too happy with us conceding 44 points, but in terms of a spectacle for neutrals watching, it wasn’t too bad!

“From a fan’s point of view, that’s the stuff you want to see – a lot of attacking rugby, boys making positive decisions – and when you’ve got a guy like Paolo Odogwu playing the way he is at the moment, you can see why we’re scoring lots of points.”

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