Team is up for Bath

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Marcus Watson returns to Wasps’ Aviva Premiership line-up for the first time since round six at Bath’s Recreation Ground on Friday evening (7.45pm kick off).

His selection, in the left-wing berth vacated by the injured Josh Bassett, is one of two changes director of rugby Dai Young has made to the match-day 23 which last Saturday claimed a fifth consecutive top-flight win.

The second of these sees James Haskell return to the blindside flank after being rested for the pre-Christmas clash with Gloucester.

Young has also once again rotated a number of players between replacement roles and positions in the starting line-up.

This means Dan Robson, Jake Cooper-Woolley and Kearnan Myall, all of whom made significant impact in the final 30 minutes against Gloucester, are this week named as starters against fifth-placed Bath.

Joe Simpson, Marty Moore and James Gaskell will therefore appear from the bench tomorrow evening, as will Ashley Johnson, Ben Harris and Gaby Lovobalavu.

Third-placed Wasps begin the second half of their league campaign by seeking to redress the balance with Bath, who claimed a 25-9 win at the Ricoh Arena in round five.

And after claiming all five points against Gloucester, Young said tomorrow’s match plus the visit of Saracens next weekend are now vital encounters.

“The next two games are massive for us,” he said.

“Coming into this block of three league games, we said if we could get three good results then we'll be sitting pretty in the top four which will take a bit of pressure off us.

“But If we don't, it will put a bit of pressure on us and go right to the wire, so these are important games.

“Bath did a job on us at the Ricoh, but we're better now than we were then, since we've evolved as a team.

“But you have to give them credit, as they were the better team on the day, so it's up to us to go and reverse that result.”

Wasps team to play Bath

15. Willie Le Roux
14. Christian Wade
13. Juan De Jongh
12. Kyle Eastmond
11. Marcus Watson
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Dan Robson
1.  Simon McIntyre
2.  Tom Cruse
3.  Jake Cooper-Woolley
4. Joe Launchbury ©
5.  Kearnan Myall
6.  James Haskell
7.  Thomas Young
8.  Nizaam Carr

Replacements

16. Ashley Johnson
17. Ben Harris
18. Marty Moore
19. James Gaskell
20. Guy Thompson
21. Joe Simpson
22. Rob Miller
23. Gaby Lovobalavu

[coddy]

Very strong looking 23. I'd also expect Ashley, Guy and Joe Simpson to make big impacts when they come on.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I'm really pleased to see JCW back starting.  Watching him come on and destroy the Glaws scrum last week was most pleasing.

[mike909]

This backline, in the absence of Daly, was my choice........for a warm and dry March game....living 12 miles north of Bath, I hope they have the ground covered, or else it will be like a swamp, worse than usual. That said, given near parity of ball, and we ought to score a few. Good to see Watson on the team, be fun to see who is the faster brother!  Will probably need a big game from Hask and the others to make sure this game is fast and lose when we want and we don't give the Bath backs time to roam, and they will be itching for a better performance post Sale.

[Brandnewtorugby]

What a game, was concerned when we lost Eastmond, hopefully nothing too bad and no other injuries.

Yet again you can jump tackles and just get up when tackled, but hey ho it didn't change the result.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

As usual, Mr Pearce's decisions were sometimes odd (reflink on TV would be great) and hard to understand. That jump and the tackle (and no release of the ball) of Watson were ones he will look back on and say, 'Got that wrong.' At least, IF he doesn't say that to himself at least, he doesn't deserve the respect he expects). That's life and a normal day at the office. Calling Willie's offside as 'cynical' was a step too far for me. It WAS a penalty. The yellow was right. But NOT that comment. Out of order. Luke Pearce, you get a 'yellow' from me for that. Lost some respect.

[mike909]

The Watson incidence could have changed the game too. The jump shoud have been a penalty the other way, the BT team though so, and offside was  oddly tackled too, Bath seemed to be allowed some slack, and the scrum  was a lottery, for this ex prop, in those conditions, the ref ought to call play it

Overall, Wasps game management was second to their exuberance,  which is fine, but at 19 up, there is more than one way to skin a cat, and a chip to the corner is just ax good if not better than a flash move that hands momentum and possession back to Bath

All in all great entertainment if rather stressful  at times!

[Brandnewtorugby]

Yep, I don't really like any of the statements about intentions, deliberate knock on is also a bad form of words, we don't know players intentions. Looking back, my post should have recognised Pearce's part in a great game, we want the game to flow so cannot have it both ways. Getting up from tackles without releasing seems to be increasing. The jumping is just dangerous as shown with Kyle, it is as if there has been such a focus on contact with the player in the air that jumping a tackle has been over looked.

[Rossm]

Jumping into the tackle is plain bloody dangerous, possibly for both players. I don't watch enough 'other' games to say how prevalent it is. However, I think JJ has previous, I think he has done it at least once or twice when playing for England.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I think the description of cynical play is kinda fair to be honest.  I think WLR is good enough and reads the game well enough to have known the consequences of his positioning.  He is obviously not a dirty player, but like every other professional player of his calibre he plays close to the line and every now and again finds himself on the wrong side of it.

I think the phrase is pretty much perfect.  He wasn't saying that Willie was a dirty player, or that he committed a deliberate foul, but that he deliberately allowed himself to be in a position where he could "accidentally" change the flow of the game.  He did, and he suffered the consequences of it.  If he'd got away with it we'd have all been full of praise for him.  Just like when our pack go through a ruck and "accidentally" block any opposition players.  That too is right on the line and if they get it slightly wrong they'd expect to be called for it.