Team V Not nots

[matelot22]

Wasps team to play London Irish on Sunday

 
Dai Young has named his team to travel to London Irish on Sunday, in Round 9 of the Aviva Premiership which is dedicated to Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign.
 
Wasps welcome back Danny Cipriani who is named on the bench, in line to make his first appearance for the club since sustaining a knee injury against Harlequins in mid-September.

There are two changes to Wasps’ starting back-line from last weekend’s bonus point win over Newcastle Falcons, with Joe Simpson named at scrum-half and Gaby Lovobalavu at inside centre. Kyle Eastmond, who made an impressive 40-minute return from injury last Saturday, is following return-to-play protocols after his HIA.

In the pack, Nizaam Carr makes his first Aviva Premiership start for Wasps having impressed from the bench against Newcastle Falcons.

Ahead of the trip to the Madejski Stadium, Wasps’ Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “We were really pleased with our accuracy, ball retention and the balance between our kicking and running game against Newcastle, but it wasn’t a perfect performance, it rarely is, so there’s still lots to improve on as we head to the Madejski Stadium.

“We’re going to a difficult place and London Irish will be fighting for their lives. I’m sure they will be targeting every home game and will feel Sunday is a huge opportunity for them.

“Irish have pushed teams really close, including Bath last week, and I don’t think they’ve had the bounce of the ball on occasions. One or two decisions have gone against them, but I feel they are on the verge of putting a few wins together and we don’t want that to start against us this Sunday.

“They’ve shown some really high-quality play for long periods and at some point it will really click for them for the whole game, so there is no way we will underestimate them.

“If you take your foot off the pedal or you’re 10% below your best, any team can beat any other in this league as we saw last week. This is a massive game for us and a huge block of Premiership matches. Last week was a big win, but we have to back it up this week. We’ve put ourselves back in the mix, but we have to stay there at the end of this round before returning home to the Ricoh to take on Leicester Tigers.”

Wasps team to play London Irish

15. Willie Le Roux
 14. Christian Wade
 13. Juan De Jongh
 12. Gaby Lovobalavu
 11. Josh Bassett
 10. Jimmy Gopperth
 9. Joe Simpson
 1.  Simon McIntyre
 2.  Ashley Johnson ©
3.  Jake Cooper-Woolley
 4. James Gaskell
 5.  Will Rowlands 
 6.  James Haskell
 7.  Thomas Young
 8.  Nizaam Carr

Replacements

16. Nathan Charles
 17. Ben Harris
 18. Marty Moore
 19. Kearnan Myall
 20. Guy Thompson
 21. Dan Robson
 22. Danny Cipriani
 23. Rob Miller

Travel advice for supporters: M4 closure this weekend

We have been advised that the M4 will be closed all weekend (from 9pm Friday 24 until 6 am Monday 27 November) between junctions 12 (Theale) and 13 (Chieveley) in both directions.

Diversions will be in place, but people are advised to plan their journeys in advance and leave early as long delays are expected.

Any enquiries should be directed to Highways England's Customer Control Centre on: 0300 123 5000

Wasps next home game sees the men in black and gold take on old rivals Leicester Tigers, at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday 2 December.

Hospitality has sold out bar the extra offering of the Sudbury Suite, where only limited places remain. To book please contact hospitality@wasps.co.uk

Over 20,000 tickets have already been sold to Wasps v Tigers. The West Stand is nearly sold out and the club has opened the South Stand to accommodate the high demand.

[matelot22]

To face:

London Irish: 15 James Marshall, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Fergus Mulchrone, 12 Luke McLean, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Tommy Bell, 9 Ben Meehan, 1 Ben Franks, 2 David Paice (c), 3 Ollie Hoskins, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 5 Teofilo Paulo, 6 Mike Coman, 7 Max Northcote-Green, 8 Blair Cowan 

Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Harry Elrington, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Sebastian De Chaves, 20 Conor Gilsenan, 21 Scott Steele, 22 Greig Tonks, 23 Tom Fowlie 

[Trevs Big Tackle]

How's Tommy Bell been getting along? Is he first choice for Irish?

[Raggs]

Believe so TBT, fairly sure he's their regular place kicker.

Not our strongest side, and would have liked to have seen Myall in for Rowlands, but if we're assuming Launch comes back, and Rowlands isn't stood next to him, we're perhaps just getting what we can out of him, before he gets a proper rest in rotation.

Is Watson injured?

[Vespula Vulgaris]

All things considered, I'm pretty happy with that team.

Shame about Eastmond, but Gabi isn't really a step down.

I'd probably put Rowlands ahead of Myall based on last week, but either way I'm glad to see Gaskell cementing his place again.  I hear he can even call lineouts!

[Raggs]

What I'm saying is I think Rowlands is the stronger player, but could do with a break as he's played a lot I believe. Irish would seem like a good game to get some running into myall and gaskells legs.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

It's still fairly early in the season.  I bet he'd rather start every time than risk someone else getting a start and playing a complete blinder.  I fully expect Myall to take the opportunity with both hands as soon as it presents himself, just a bit rusty right now I'd say.

[wasps]

Yeah, it's still early in the season. Rowlands is young, he doesn't have international commitments, he didn't have a lions tour, so he got some time off in the summer and a full preseason.
I'd say he's one of the few that needs very little rest this season.
His rest will come if/when we have a full compliment of locks