All of Wasps' new signings, exits, contracts and areas to strengthen.

[Rossm]

How the squad is shaping up ahead of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup season

Bobby Bridge sums up (so far):

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-new-signings-exits-contracts-20937276

[Neils]

Adds up quite nicely - so far.

[Shugs]

Credit to whoever takes care of this side of things Vaughan? Blackett? Combination?. We're looking stronger next season. I think the club have done all they can. We need three things now. 1) Long term injuries back as they were. 2) We really need Scholtz/Millar-Mills/Alo to be able to emulate Brookes at scrum time. 3) We may need a versatile centre.

[petros]

we also appear to need another LHP. 3 is too few for the 1st team squad

[HDAWG]

On the whole I think recruitment has been solid. It's interesting we're investing in youth and club veterans rather than top level internationals, and that's a good thing.

Though I'm curious if we'll ever use the marquee signing wages for anything any time soon. For example a world class 12 would be ideal for when Gopperth retires, or if Mills never gets fit. I hope Atkinson can be our future 12, but who knows?

[hookender]

On the whole I think recruitment has been solid. It's interesting we're investing in youth and club veterans rather than top level internationals, and that's a good thing.

Though I'm curious if we'll ever use the marquee signing wages for anything any time soon. For example a world class 12 would be ideal for when Gopperth retires, or if Mills never gets fit. I hope Atkinson can be our future 12, but who knows?

Considering that the salary cap has been reduced could it be that Fifita has been designated a marquee player for accounting purposes? Not necessarily on what we would consider marquee money ,but allows wiggle room in the normal cap.

[Horusthewasp]

For example a world class 12 would be ideal for when Gopperth retires, or if Mills never gets fit. I hope Atkinson can be our future 12, but who knows?

I hope the Rugby Pass reports about us getting an experienced centre pan out. With Mills not back before October at the earliest, it will continue to be our Achilles’ heel. I hope a well rested Gopperth will be able to hit the ground running come September - the guy still has plenty to offer.

The timing of Odogwu’s injury (which will probably see him out until February) has clearly put a spanner in the works of the Odogwu/Fekitoa centre partnership experiment which I still think could produce some scintillating results if it clicks.

Spink has shown moments of class, so I’m keen to see how he develops but his injuries have been quite disruptive so far. As for Simonds, I haven’t seen much of him so I can’t judge.

Not sure I see Atkinson as a centre though. He doesn’t offer the strength needed. I think he is more suited to playing 10/15.

[wasps]

not only has the salary cap been reduced, but I believe in another season or so, the 2nd marquee spot is being removed too.

As such, I expect Joe is probably the highest paid at Wasps and retains a marquee spot.
Currently, the 2nd marquee spot will presumably either be Fifita or Fekitoa depending on whether it was swapped from Lima to Fekitoa when he joined with a view to the future (this obviously also depends on their relative salaries)

We'll undoubtedly make someone the marquee player if only on paper, rather than to may them a higher salary.


I can't see us wanting to sign a top international for a few years knowing that the marquee spot will be removed and we'll somehow have to fit their salary within the cap in a couple of years

[wasps]

While I'm really happy with the signings we're making, I'm a little concerned that we'll still find ourselves struggling if/when we lose 1 or 2 key personnel.

Even in the back row, most of our numbers seem to be 6's or 8's.
We have Thomas Young as our front line 7, and I have no problems with Jack playing at 7 either (I always feel he is more of a 7 than a 6 anyway)
but after that, do we actually have anyone who is anything more than a 6 playing at 7?

I know we've played Nemo at 7 before, and I think Tom Willis has also played there for us, but that always feels like it's because we don't have anyone else.


Given the injuries that Jack has, we are likely to be without him for a while... and if he comes back as good as before, then he's likely to be in England camps quite regularly.
So, an injury to Young and we may be looking at square pegs / round holes.

[HDAWG]

On the whole I think recruitment has been solid. It's interesting we're investing in youth and club veterans rather than top level internationals, and that's a good thing.

Though I'm curious if we'll ever use the marquee signing wages for anything any time soon. For example a world class 12 would be ideal for when Gopperth retires, or if Mills never gets fit. I hope Atkinson can be our future 12, but who knows?

Considering that the salary cap has been reduced could it be that Fifita has been designated a marquee player for accounting purposes? Not necessarily on what we would consider marquee money ,but allows wiggle room in the normal cap.

Not a chance he's on that much.

[westwaleswasp]

While I'm really happy with the signings we're making, I'm a little concerned that we'll still find ourselves struggling if/when we lose 1 or 2 key personnel.

Even in the back row, most of our numbers seem to be 6's or 8's.
We have Thomas Young as our front line 7, and I have no problems with Jack playing at 7 either (I always feel he is more of a 7 than a 6 anyway)
but after that, do we actually have anyone who is anything more than a 6 playing at 7?

I know we've played Nemo at 7 before, and I think Tom Willis has also played there for us, but that always feels like it's because we don't have anyone else.


Given the injuries that Jack has, we are likely to be without him for a while... and if he comes back as good as before, then he's likely to be in England camps quite regularly.
So, an injury to Young and we may be looking at square pegs / round holes.

Oghre could be a 7 option iirc he has played there for us....

[Shugs]

In terms of 7 I think we have lots of choice. Young, J Willis, T Willis, Morris, Curran, Carr. Even Shields and Oghre if needed.

[wasps]

I actually like the idea of Oghre as 3rd choice 7.

His skill sets and play seem to fit closer than most of our other makeshift 7's

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Whoever the most expensive player is that fits the criteria will be the excluded player. As I understand it they don't have to be declared until the end of the season in case of injury, or other unforseen issues.

I have no doubt that the club know who that will be from year to year, but I doubt we will ever know for sure.