Teams Up for the Estate Agents.

[Rossm]

Wasps team to face Saracens at Allianz Park on Saturday in Gallagher Premiership Round 18 (kick-off 12:30pm)

Wasps (First-team appearances)

15 Rob Miller (112)

14 Paolo Odogwu (7)

13 Juan de Jongh (57)

12 Michael Le Bourgeois (32)

11 Josh Bassett (121)

10 Jimmy Gopperth (c) (99)

9 Ben Vellacott (4)

1 Ben Harris (61)

2 Tom Cruse (79)

3 Biyi Alo (13)

4 Will Rowlands (88) 

5 Tim Cardall (16)

6 Tom Willis (16)

7 Ben Morris (28)

8 Sione Vailanu (19)

Replacements

16 Antonio ‘TJ’ Harris (14)

17 Simon McIntyre (168)

18 Jack Owlett (

19 Theo Vukasinovic (6)

20 Kieran Curran (0)

21 Sam Wolstenholme (9)

22 Charlie Atkinson (1)

23 Will Simonds (3)

Lee Blackett has named his side for Wasps’ Gallagher Premiership Round 18 match with Saracens at Allianz Park on Saturday.

Jimmy Gopperth will captain the side from fly-half on his 100th Wasps appearance.

Centre Juan de Jongh makes his first appearance since the restart, after returning from hand and hamstring injuries.

Hooker Antonio ‘TJ’ Harris is named amongst the replacements, having re-joined the club on a short-term deal this week from Jersey, and returns to the ground where he made his first Premiership start for Wasps in December 2018.

There is one potential Wasps debutant in the 23, as 20-year-old Wasps Senior Academy back-rower, and former Warwick school pupil, Kieran Curran is named as a replacement.

Newly promoted first team squad member, 20-year-old Will Simonds is also in line to make his Premiership debut from the bench, having come through the Wasps Academy.

Blackett said: “We’re going to have to be physical. They’re one of the most physical sides in Europe and that’s why we have had to make some changes. We can’t have guys that are going around at 70 or 80% when we come up against the current champions.”

[Neils]

Just reading that on the main site. Surprised Jimmy is playing. Rest is fine by me. We are not seeing either of the two second/back rowers we signed. Still no ZZ.

[Neils]

Against no surprises a full strength EA team.

[COYW15]

To play:

15 Alex Goode (299)
14 Alex Lewington (50)
13 Elliot Daly (9)
12 Brad Barritt (259)
11 Sean Maitland (76)
10 Owen Farrell (200)
9 Aled Davies (3)
1 Richard Barrington (191)
2 Jamie George (229)
3 Vincent Koch (84)
4 Maro Itoje (122)
5 Tim Swinson (2)
6 Mike Rhodes (96)
7 Jackson Wray (248)
8 Billy Vunipola (113)

Replacements

16 Kapeli Pifeleti (9)
17 Sam Crean (9)
18 Alec Clarey (2)
19 Callum Hunter-Hill (18)
20 Sean Reffell (22)
21 Tom Whiteley (45)
22 Dom Morris (21)
23 Elliott Obatoyinbo (12)

[DGP Wasp]

Against a full strength Sarries by the look of it:

15 Alex Goode (299)
14 Alex Lewington (50)
13 Elliot Daly (9)
12 Brad Barritt (259)
11 Sean Maitland (76)
10 Owen Farrell (200)
9 Aled Davies (3)
1 Richard Barrington (191)
2 Jamie George (229)
3 Vincent Koch (84)
4 Maro Itoje (122)
5 Tim Swinson (2)
6 Mike Rhodes (96)
7 Jackson Wray (248)
8 Billy Vunipola (113)

Replacements

16 Kapeli Pifeleti (9)
17 Sam Crean (9)
18 Alec Clarey (2)
19 Callum Hunter-Hill (18)
20 Sean Reffell (22)
21 Tom Whiteley (45)
22 Dom Morris (21)
23 Elliott Obatoyinbo (12)

Not sure we'll come away with much from this one, but that's the nature of this phase of the season.  There will continue to be some pretty uncompetitive games with one team selecting their best available 23 against a team that has chosen to rest most of theirs.  Take what we can and look forward to Tigers.  Likely to be high scoring, so there may be a chance of a try bonus point if it's nice and open regardless of the result.

(I am not normally this pessimistic before any game, but nor am I going to delude myself!)

[Neils]

Agree we can't hope for much less than a drubbing but being a plastic pitch let's hope for no injuries.

[WonkyWasp]

They're just after revenge for the 60-10  trouncing we gave them.

[JonnyD]

Think this one might be watched from behind the sofa.
Potential for us to go for four tries and have some fun but I just hope no one else is injured.

Congratulations to kieran Curran however, I think he’s struggled a bit with injuries over the last year or so, was an absolute unit at u18 level, my dad said he reminded him of Haskell coming through. Hope he manages to get some positive gametime

[Heathen]

I would be very happy if we came out of this games with zero injuries.

[Neils]

I would be very happy if we came out of this games with zero injuries.

Big +1

[Rossm]

I would be very happy if we came out of this games with zero injuries.

Seconded

[Shugs]

Good to see JdJ back. That's about as expected I'd say. I'd have rested Jimmy but I can see why you would play him. Hoping for an injury free day and possibly a point of some sort.

[RogerE]

However - look who's running the line, in case you mised him during the week:

Saracens v Wasps (Allianz Park, 12.30pm) Live on BT Sport

Referee: Christophe Ridley (26th Premiership game).

Assistant Referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Adam Leal.

TMO: David Grashoff.

Citing Officer: John Byett.

[Neils]

However - look who's running the line, in case you mised him during the week:

Saracens v Wasps (Allianz Park, 12.30pm) Live on BT Sport

Referee: Christophe Ridley (26th Premiership game).

Assistant Referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Adam Leal.

TMO: David Grashoff.

Citing Officer: John Byett.

And he is the "Senior" Ref in the group. Just as well we know we are beaten!!

[Nigel Med]

Whilst the EAs have picked a full strength team to get up to speed for their HC QF and will undoubtedly want to revenge the drubbing we handed out, once they're clear I suspect their tackling won't have the usual ferocity as they will be desperate themselves not to pick up any injuries so 4 tries for us is not out of the question if that's not being overly optimistic