Prem fixtures out today

[FishingWasp]

Each team gets 2 bye week-ends.

Our second one is week 19.

But the teams that do not play in the first or last rounds effectively only get one rest week during the season. That's us in round 1 and Irish in the final round. Plus the team not in round 1 go into round two as the only team without a game the previous week, whereas the others are up to match speed so to speak. Wasps so often seem to get the short straw eg rookie refs etc.
Yet the EAs get two breaks.. Grrrrrr!!!

DGP we are in agreement and we're typing simultaneously.

[Shugs]

The bye is frustrating but largely inconsequential I feel. Apart from anything else it's a tough start in terms of the first 4.

[MarleyWasp]

I'm more annoyed about us having a bye on my birthday, then on the first weekend of the season.

[InBetweenWasp]

I think considering the fatigue that Lee has spoken about after the short off-season between the final and the beginning of last season and a few of our boys involved in England Rugby matches the longer the better in my view.

In years gone by, a slow start failed to hinder us in the long run and although we often found ourselves in the bottom half of the table around the turn of the year, it often meant we peaked at the right time.  I'd rather see a slow start and a strong finish than a good start and a finish that tails off as we're exhausted - both physically and mentally.

[Brandnewtorugby]

I suppose one benefit is that we get to see and analyse our new season opposition for one more game.

[baldpaul101]

I think there needs to be less focus on excuses, like a bye week at the beginning, poor referees, injuries etc.
Forget all that & concentrate on what Wasps need to do to win. I'm pretty sure wasps will be ignoring the things they can't control & focusing on what they can...

[Rossm]

Wasps and Coventry City fixture clash at Coventry Building Society Arena

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-coventry-city-fixture-clash-21040049

[DGP Wasp]

Wasps and Coventry City fixture clash at Coventry Building Society Arena

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-coventry-city-fixture-clash-21040049

So much for PRL and EFL working together.  BT have chosen to televise games at Wasps and Irish that weekend when both Coventry and Brentford are also at home.  Brentford are live on Sky against Liverpool on the Saturday, so no wiggle room there, and according to SV in that article, there is a contractual agreement that where clashes occur, Wasps will move to the Sunday as rugby inflicts more pitch damage than football, so surface gets more time to recover after rugby.  CCFC playing on the Friday night looks like the only solution.

And another observation...  Premiership Rugby website has Wasps playing at the "Ricoh Arena".  Anyone know where that is?

[RogerE]

The down side of having the first weekend as a bye is that it is my birthday weekend, and historically we have had a hospitality "treat".

The upside is that whenever we have been in hospitality we have lost!

[Mellie]

I presume teams can use their bye week as an official rest for international players, so they miss slightly fewer league fixtures.

[andermt]

As long as we don't get a bye in round 1.

Someone spoke too soon.........

SORRY!!!!!   

I do see it as a disadvantage having our bye week tagged on to the summer break.  Other teams will have 2 opportunities for a week's break during the course of the season, whereas we just have an extra week of pre-season, and as someone said, we then go into our opening game against a team that already has a tough match under its belt as opposed to a friendly against Dragons.

13 team league not good.  But hey, it was the only way to get Sarries back on board so I guess we should all be grateful for that!

I agree, the whole bye rounds are not good for the league, at least it will be better next season, hopefully, if someone else gets promoted. (or is it the year after).

The Championship had a bye round this last season and the EA's got a big boost from it by it happening during the 6 nations week for them, wonder if they have got that benefit again?

Had a look byes in 6 nations weeks as follows:
1st round, - Saints
2nd round - Falcons
1st rest week - Glaws
3rd round - Sarries (surprise surprise)
2nd rest week - Wasps
4th Round - Bath
5th round - no prem matches
Next 2 weeks as possible rest weeks
Quins
Tigers

[Rossm]

I've copied this post by TP17 on Shedweb:- Does anyone know how the bye weeks are decided? Bristol have 11 fixtures between their byes, whereas Wasps have 21!

Glaws on the other hand have their breaks in November (round eight) and February (round seventeen) which seems fair to me.

[JonnyD]

After that final bye week our run in doesn’t look too bad - that’s what I always look out for

[bigad82]

Round ball game moved to Friday.
https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/coventry-citys-match-peterborough-united-21045050.amp?__twitter_impression=true

[Neils]

I've copied this post by TP17 on Shedweb:- Does anyone know how the bye weeks are decided? Bristol have 11 fixtures between their byes, whereas Wasps have 21!

Glaws on the other hand have their breaks in November (round eight) and February (round seventeen) which seems fair to me.

This is actually scandalous. Somebody should have on to this before the dates were released.