Teams up for The Final

[Rossm]

15 Matteo Minozzi (18)

14 Zach Kibirige (25)

13 Juan de Jongh (58)

12 Jimmy Gopperth (105)

11 Josh Bassett (126)

10 Jacob Umaga (30)

9 Dan Robson (123)

1 Tom West (33)

2 Tommy Taylor (70)

3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen (20)

4 Joe Launchbury (c) (151)

5 Will Rowlands (93)

6 Jack Willis (61)

7 Thomas Young (119)

8 Tom Willis (21)

 

Replacements

16 Gabriel Oghre (28)

17 Ben Harris (64)

18 Biyi Alo (15)

19 James Gaskell (120)

20 Ben Morris (29)

21 Ben Vellacott (

22 Lima Sopoaga (42)

23 Michael Le Bourgeois (35)

[Rossm]

Lee Blackett has named his side for Wasps’ Gallagher Premiership Final against Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

There are four changes to the starting line-up that beat Bristol Bears in the semi-final.

Tom Willis starts alongside brother Jack and Thomas Young in the back-row. In the front row Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Tom West come into start with Tommy Taylor.

Wasps’ second row engine room sees international duo Will Rowlands and captain Joe Launchbury link up once more. 

Juan de Jongh joins Jimmy Gopperth in the centres. The rest of the back-line remains the same with Dan Robson and Jacob Umaga linking up at half-back and the back-three of Josh Bassett, Zach Kibirige and Matteo Minozzi will look to excite again.

Amongst the replacements Ben Morris is the back-row cover on the bench. Joining Morris on the bench are experienced lock James Gaskell and the power-packed trio of front row replacements Gabriel Oghre, Ben Harris and Biyi Alo.

Electric backs replacements Ben Vellacott, Lima Sopoaga and Michael Le Bourgeois will also get a chance to grace the Twickenham turf.

Brad Shields, Kieran Brookes, Simon McIntyre and Alfie Barbeary are unavailable after being ruled out due to contact tracing protocols. Malakai Fekitoa misses out through a groin injury picked up against the Bears.

Wasps Head Coach, Lee Blackett, said: “If we are all being honest, it hasn’t been ideal preparation, but I have to give credit to the players because they have coped with it admirably.

“A lot of credit must also go to the staff, especially Team Manager Dave Bassett, Head of Medical Ali James and Club Doctor Ralph Mitchell. The amount of work that they have put in behind the scenes to allow us to play in this game is phenomenal.

“It has been a difficult week in terms of all of that, but the one thing that we spoke about at the start of the season is being adaptable. Now the players will do everything they can to put in a performance on Saturday. We know it will be tough, Exeter deservedly finished top of the league this season, but we are confident with the form that we can take into the game.

[petros]

Unfortunate that we have lost some of our biggest guys but come on Wasps

[HDAWG]

The 4 players missing are a massive loss. I'm particularly nervous about this match. The players missing and weather aren't in our favour.

De Jongh in particular, I question him starting ahead of le bourgeois who was good replacing Fekitoa.

But I really hope we spoil Exeter's party. Bit worried though.

[Dgwasp]

It looks like a balanced enough side and I'm still really excited to see the boys go tomorrow.

Albeit tomorrow excitement will have been replaced with nerves!

[backdoc]

It is all we have.

We have to run them off their feet, and then some.

Difficult with the likely conditions. Lots of spilled balls, knock ons etc would be a nightmare.

[asteriskszegol]

In the circumstances, that's a very good team indeed: one door closes, they say, and another one opens. We knew we were up against it, but that's as good as we could have hoped for. It might not quite be enough against cussed and battle-hardened opponents like Exeter, but, then again, it just might. After Sarries and Bath away, who knows? 

[MarleyWasp]

Personally I don't think there's a great deal of difference between Harris, West and McIntyre and would have been happy with any of the three starting or on the bench.

Brookes had a bit of a mare against Exeter in November and picked up a yellow card for scrumagging offences. Personally I think JTA is better off the bench so was a bit surprised Biyi isn't starting.

Whoever you chose from the Willis Brothers, Thomas and Brad is a good combination. Slightly worried about our back row cover though on the bench. As I said yesterday I'd have been tempted to bring in Cruse to cover hooker and Oghre to cover the back row.

At the end of the day Rugby is 15 v 15. If we stick to our game and play our way we can win this. I believe!

[jamestaylor002]

I think the losses are massive but I still think that we've put out a good competitive team. I think keeping Dobby, Launch and Jimmy and Jack in the team is crucial

[westwaleswasp]

I will take it, but let us be honest,in theory we are screwed, lack of prep, Brad  who gives options at 6, 8 and second row, missing, Malaki ruled out. We have made a habit of winning against the odds, so let us hope it is enough. Rubbish weather won't help us, but you just never know, we have overcome adversity this year, and a week ago we were looking at concession.
Onwards!
One game from glory.

[Shugs]

All those missing are big losses. However roll back to Christmas and we were looking over our shoulders. Roll back to the start of the week and I thought we'd have to concede. So I'll just enjoy it. For what it's worth, with SM, BS, KB and MF in we had a chance of matching the Exeter power but we may not have done. This forces our hand to play a slightly different way which might work. Probably apart from Fekitoa we don't lose much in the starting line up but our bench impact is where it will hurt us. Whatever the outcome the development of this squad has been fantastic this season.

[HDAWG]

Shugs, completely agree with your last sentence. Given how we started this season we've been incredible. It's an amazing achievement to have made it this far.

[Brandnewtorugby]

Exeter Chiefs

15 Stuart Hogg
14 Jack Nowell
13 Henry Slade
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Joe Simmonds (capt)
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
3 Harry Williams
4 Sam Skinner
5 Jonny Hill
6 Dave Ewers
7 Jannes Kirsten
8 Sam Simmonds

Replacements

16 Jack Yeandle
17 Ben Moon
18 Tomas Francis
19 Jonny Gray
20 Jacques Vermeulen
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Ian Whitten

[backdoc]

That is some bench for Exeter

[wasps]

Realistically, we're 1 player down from our best backline.
I love JdJ and I would never question his selection in the team.
Obviously we'll miss the explosiveness of Fekitoa, but we can't be reliant on a single players skills.


In the pack, we'd have been overjoyed with 2 Willis's and a Young earlier in the season.
Brad brings a steady head, leadership and massive work rate which we'll miss.
Morris is a slight step down from the bench, but he's exactly the kind of squad player you want. Not a star name, but grabs his opportunities whenever they come along.


Missing Brookes is a problem.
However, JTA's scrummaging was improving constantly and he was beginning to start stamping some authority.
For me, Alo is inconsistent. Sometimes the opposite prop struggles against him othertimes not so much




It's a team that's more than capable of winning a game of rugby.
It's up to them all to turn the recent adversities into positives.

Go out there, play free, do what they do best and enjoy it.
Simples.