Champions or Challenge Cup?

[Rossm]

We are miles off even making a dent in the Champions Cup. We'd be better having a few easy weeks to allow for rest and rotation, especially given that our squad is short on numbers and quality  depth

Did you watch the Clermont match, but for an incorrect ref decision we should have won it?

But we didn't win did we? And it wasn't an incorrect ref decision that led us to go from their 22 to defending our try line within two minutes at the end of the game.

So it's now OK to score off a blatant forward pass. Everybody but the ref and his crew thought it was several yards forward, including the commentators.

[DGP Wasp]

Yes it was a poor decision, but it's a fair comment about how we came to be in that situation though.  We shouldn't have had to rely on poor execution by Clermont being spotted by the officials in order to win that game.  We had it won and only had to do a few basics well to wrap it up.  Once would be unfortunate and it would be fair enough to point to the forward pass, but clutching defeat from the jaws of victory has become a habit.

[Rossm]

Yes it was a poor decision, but it's a fair comment about how we came to be in that situation though.  We shouldn't have had to rely on poor execution by Clermont being spotted by the officials in order to win that game.  We had it won and only had to do a few basics well to wrap it up.  Once would be unfortunate and it would be fair enough to point to the forward pass, but clutching defeat from the jaws of victory has become a habit.

Yes indeed it was a poor decision and we shouldn't have had to rely on something like that to get us first past the post. However and nonetheless, it was still a blatant forward pass which was a great deal more forward than Thomas Young's try which got chalked off yesterday. I don't think the officials even bothered to check the pass in the Clermont game.

[baldpaul101]

Wasps have certainly lost games they should have won.
but I cannot understand how anyone thinks Sundays performance against Quinns was anything other than a massive improvement on the previous match between the two sides.
Yes Wasps made mistakes
Yes Wasps could have won the game
But the previous fixture against Quinns wasps were no where near making it even mildly difficult for them to win.

Its fine to be negative & say wasps are rubbish.
Its fine to be positive & say they are great but unlucky.


IMO The truth lies somewhere in between. Wasps have a decent squad and with a bit of luck could have had a bunch more wins than they have. That fact they haven't had them is due to their own failings above all else I think.

If they qualify for the Champions cup would they have a decent chance? yes I think they would.

[DGP Wasp]

Wasps have certainly lost games they should have won.
but I cannot understand how anyone thinks Sundays performance against Quinns was anything other than a massive improvement on the previous match between the two sides.
Yes Wasps made mistakes
Yes Wasps could have won the game
But the previous fixture against Quinns wasps were no where near making it even mildly difficult for them to win.

Its fine to be negative & say wasps are rubbish.
Its fine to be positive & say they are great but unlucky.


IMO The truth lies somewhere in between. Wasps have a decent squad and with a bit of luck could have had a bunch more wins than they have. That fact they haven't had them is due to their own failings above all else I think.

If they qualify for the Champions cup would they have a decent chance? yes I think they would.

And therein lies the frustration.  Wasps are good enough to win these games, but time and again fail to do so.

If we were just crap week in week out then that's different.  Still frustrating, but also concerning for the future direction etc.  But they are a good team, at times quite breathtaking to watch.  They are capable of winning games against very good sides as demonstrated against Clermont and Quins recently, but are consistently contriving to lose games that appeared easier to win.  As is often said, "It's the hope that kills you"!

As far as Saturday goes, Marcus Smith in that kind of form is a handful for any defence.  That we were with them all the way is some source of encouragement.  All this Wasps team needs is a large injection of self belief.  Lee and his coaches must find that from somewhere very soon.

[Shugs]

To quote an old term "we're a good cup team". We're too fragile at the moment to make top 4 but on our day, in a one off game, we can beat anyone.

[baldpaul101]

All this Wasps team needs is a large injection of self belief.  Lee and his coaches must find that from somewhere very soon.

indeed. It was great to see Jacob re-covering some form by seeking mental help, both professionally & by way of religiously minded team mates. I would hope the club as a whole has or will embrace a similar approach.