Thoughts

[hopwood]

Just some thoughts around the game.

I'm going to put Costello and Gleeson front and centre.
I don't think, we as fans, truly appreciate the amount of tactical application, tactical skill and analysis that goes on behind the scenes.
It (in my mind) is truly amazing.

Yes...we've got Jimmy "The Boot".
Dan "The Deviant"
And...Jack "The Jackal"

BUT...let's look behind the scenes.

This was a MASS team effort.
Every player was well drilled and committed.
Buying into the belief that it was 'one for all...and all for one'
Pat Lam talked, pre-match, about the 'love' that existed in his squad. All prepared to live and die together.
This Wasps squad has this in spades.
I'm not sure if it is coached...but it exists in bucket loads. The culture is brilliant...and the envy of many other clubs.

Let's get back to the stats and facts.
Wasps are one of the fittest squads in the Premiership.
They work so hard off the pitch to become the best team on the pitch.

Not only are they quickest to the breakdown...but they are mightily efficient and effective when they get there.
However...it stretches further than that.
They have a plan.
As they arrive...they twist and turn (strategically) to ensure that the opposing player with the ball is....exposed to the likes of Thomas Young and Jack Willis.
They have spent countless hours on the training paddock working on approaches and specific angles of weakness to ensure turnover options.
Everyone buys-in.

Each player approaching the breakdown knows their technical job. To create the greatest opportunity for their teammate.
It's poetry in motion. No egos involved. The purest form of team work and togetherness. Buying into the higher purpose.

There's been extensive time spent on learning the skill to tackle the 'man and ball' so that offloads don't become a factor in breaking us down.
Watch how offloads are being utilised in the Bath v Exeter match. We completely shut them down today. Rafradra included.

There was such discipline all over the pitch.
Everyone bought into the game-plan. There were no egos and players going off-script.
In the past....we would have seen a Hask moment. Or a Cips moment...or many others....going off-piste and creating cards or complications.

This was the ultimate team performance.
United as one.
All started with the coaches and their exceptional strategy, motivation and game plan.
Lee and his team (esp Gleeson and Costello) have to take a bow.

Wasps now have variety all over the pitch.
Threats all over the pitch.
Thanks to the coaching team and their expertise...we now offer opposing team problems in every channel of play.

Give us a scrum.
Give us a lineout.
Let's run it out from the backs.
Gives us a driving maul.
Give us a turnover opportunity,
Gives us a loose bouncing ball.
Gives us field position.
Give us an ounce of room at the back of a ruck or scrum.
Give us a charge-down.
Give us a kick-off.


It's simply relentless.
Wasps have journeyed from being a great bunch of players (with differing levels of self esteem and self belief)....to an incredible, all-inclusive squad of very smart, confident and intelligent players.
They are well coached.
They are well disciplined.
They believe in themselves.
They are truly committed.
And they have the self-belief to go all the way.

Some of our forwards are absolute beasts.
Proper annoying, brilliant beasts.

I love every single one of them.

Roll on the Final.
Guess what Waspies....we could win a Premiership!!

[JonnyD]

Better mention everyone then, Forwards look reenergised. Our maul and scrum were pretty good but have improved under Blaze and Fowkes.
Transition work of Everard and the trust from Blackett of academy lads seamlessly moving into the team and even younger lads regularly training with the squad.
Lots of pundits and other reports that our fitness has upped as well to credit to a change in thinking perhaps with the new strength and conditioning team.

[Rossm]

Dan "The Deviant"??

I'm not sure if this is terribly complimentary🤨

[Shugs]

Massive improvement everywhere. I love our back row but our foundations revolve around Harris, McIntyre, West, Brookes, Alo and JTA. Best prop options we've had for years. West is a superb scrummager.

[InBetweenWasp]

Was anyone else at The Ricoh yesterday for the game? Was a nice way to enjoy the victory and be as close to being live at the game as was possible.

Some interesting bits from being there (at least, that I thought were interesting)

- Both Stephen Vaughan and Nick Eastwood in/around the room
- Yesterday was a trial with the Council to try and explore how they can accommodate some sort of fans back at the arena and subject to the Council (who were observing how things went) they would look to do more.  They said they’d nearly pushed the button on similar for other matches, but never gotten around to it.  So fingers crossed there’s a repeat for the Final
- Car Park C is currently being used as a drive-in test centre and the exhibition hall is hosting the Darts so there’s some revenue generation even in the absence of game days, hotel stays, concerts and exhibitions
- Vaughan did a Q&A before the match, which was less Q from announcer Pete and more A from Vaughan.  He exuded passion for both sport and Wasps (He’s a football fan too - Follows Villa, so was proud to say so this week! 
- Lots of talk about the impact of the back room staff; world class medical and S&C additions which he felt were the heroes on making the squad tick but rarely spoken about (my wording, not his but he made the point)
- Said that unlike Dai, Lee’s focus is deliberately on just coaching and Vaughan has done as much as possible to take things like PR, Contract Negotiations, Transfers etc etc... out of his hands, so he doesn’t get caught up in non-coaching related admin tasks.  This wasn’t spoken about as a negative on Lee in any way shape or form and sounded more like a deliberate ploy from Wasps Management not to burden him with unnecessary work and allow him to do what he does best - prep the boys
- Confirmed talks ongoing with CCFC and that both sides ultimately want them to be playing at the Ricoh.  Bound by NDA so no details to be shared but the final word on it was that if there was a deal to be done that worked for both parties that it’d get done
- Training ground is nearly there.  Still some local objection, but believes it can (legitimately) be overcome once they see the positive impact that having the boys there will have.  Apparently took the squad for Dinner near the new site and unsurprisingly a group of 30 or so were very warmly received (especially with the amount of food they eat!) but also, importantly, positive feedback about what a nice bunch of lads they are

Last word on Vaughan was that saw him leaving the ground, sporting Lol’s old number plate: W4 SPS.  Think he’s been another very shrewd signing by Derek and Nick.

- Masi did the Wasps Legend Q&A just before KO.  He’s been in the spotlight now that he coaches the academy and between him and Matt Everard who’s working as transition coach they’ve clearly done a stellar job.  On a personal note, it’s hugely exciting to see a stream of academy lads start to come through again

In doing his rounds, Vaughan mentioned a couple of ideas he was mulling over for ST’s for next year.  Currently, the plan is to only have 5 fixtures with crowds allow (March onwards) so the prospect to sell full ST’s is greatly diminished.  The possibility that they’ll do like a 1.5 season Season Ticket to cover through to the end of the 2021/22 season.  But it’s a watch this space, think they’re keen to get something sorted sooner rather than later. 

What was really interesting, was despite a difficult time for the UK population as a whole, 81% of STH’s opted to leave the unused balance of their Season Tickets with the club from this season - More than any other Premiership Club, apparently.  Perhaps it’s on the back of goodwill from a hell of a run-in, but says a decent amount about how fans feel about the Club and also how they feel about the attitude of the club towards us fans.

As a side note, Stuart Hooper spoke before their game yesterday that they feel they have found their identity once again in terms of their DNA and how they want to play.  I’m not sure that was reflected on their confused performance but I think it’s fair to say we’ve found ours. 

I’ve been a STH since 2009 and ad-hoc games before then and the Wasps Team I knew over the years tended to be:

- A good number of homegrown players that had spent most of their time with the club
- A smattering of stardust
- A couple of young academy talent

We tended to have a dogged defence and thrived on counter-attacking ball and execution of first-phase play.  We’ve really managed to get back to that DNA.

[Heathen]

Many thanks for that feedback. WRT STs for next season, I would be happy to buy up front for two seasons, in the hope that we could get access to a viewing platform - e.g. BT Match Pass - for all the home games, before fans are allowed back into the stadium.

All my digital platforms are with Sky, but I don't want their sports channels nor BT Sport. I would rather give the money to the club.

[Beasties]

What Lee Blackett and his team have achieved is simply staggering.

I was full of dread at the start of the season looking at our squad and the loss of Dai. I simply couldn't see how our squad could do anything other than battle with relegation. Yes, I could see that we finally had some good young players coming through but couldn't see how they could have a big effect right at this moment. Willis yes, he's been monumental for ages now just bloody injured grrrrr. Umaga promising but flakey and prob wouldn't get much gametime anyway. Sirker? Raw and injured. Tom Willis, yes but maybe not right now. West? Won't get gametime. Oghre? We'll see. Cardall? Won't get to play. Etc etc.

Wowsers. It's taken some guts from Blackett to put his faith in all these young players. And there's no doubt that there is a huge wave of youthful enthusiasm that is propelling the whole team forward, there's nothing like a group finally emerging together. Even the likes of Curran looking born to it when he came on a few games ago. There is a great foundation being laid here. I can't praise the coaching staff enough for having the bottle to trust them at the right time.

Then you have players like Fekitoa blossoming. His defence was weak earlier in the season but now look at him. The work that is clearly being done off the pitch is superb. Costello was public enemy no1 not that long ago, even being blamed for climate change, now look at the praise he's getting. The coaching staff shakeup has clearly worked wonders, praise to all of them. Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy. It's great watching the wise old head steering the ship, guiding these young dynamos in the right direction, what a signing he's proved to be. Hell, even the likes of Kibirige has changed from being an Ashton-esque defence shy glory boy into a player that actually wants to make a tackle. He had more than one crucial intervention yesterday. I wasn't a fan when we signed him but I'm defo warming.

Exeter? I think they will be a hurdle too high right now but, my God, look at where we've come to.

[Chunky24]

From being at Supporters Forum Stephen Vaughan does indeed come across as a very shrewd business operator but also very much understands the specific needs of a sports club.

[RogerE]

Earlier this year, when we could attend matches and ST holders were allowed to order extra tickets (and before the Sarries saga), a former ST holder from Adams Park, asked if I could get him a tcket for the match against Tigers  "as it would be a relegation match".

It's still sitting on our mantle shelf - a reminder of how far we have progressed.

Win, or lose, the final I don't really care, I am over the moon with  how we are playing.