Teams Up for Exe

[Rossm]

Lee Blackett has named his side to face Exeter at the Coventry Building Society Arena in Gallagher Premiership Round Five on Saturday.

There are four personnel changes from the victory over Northampton Saints last week.

There is an all-new starting front-row, as Dan Frost makes his first Premiership start at hooker. Tom Cruse misses the game under the HIA protocol. Joining Frost in the front row are Robin ‘Bomber’ Hislop and Jeff Toomaga-Allen.

The only other change sees Michael Le Bourgeois switch to outside centre, with Sam Spink forced out with a hamstring injury. That move sees Jimmy Gopperth come back into the starting side at inside centre, after his impressive kicking display against Saints.

Zach Kibirige starts again on the right wing after scoring against Northampton. Josh Bassett retains his place on the left wing and Marcus Watson is at full back.

In the back-row are captain Brad Shields, Tom Willis and Thomas Young, who was named in the Wales Autumn Nations Cup squad this week.

The second row and half-back partnerships have been unchanged since the beginning of the Premiership season. Elliott Stooke starts alongside fellow recruit Vaea Fifita, while Dan Robson and Jacob Umaga link up for the fourth consecutive week.

On the bench, Patrick Harrison is in line to make his Wasps debut. The Scotland Under 20 hooker is on a short-term loan deal from Edinburgh. Joining him amongst the replacements is Francois Hougaard, who is also in line to make his Wasps debut, having been a late withdrawal last week.

Wasps team to face Exeter at Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday (kick-off 3:00pm)

Wasps (First-team appearances)

15 Marcus Watson (55)

14 Zach Kibirige (50)

13 Michael Le Bourgeois (61)

12 Jimmy Gopperth (131)

11 Josh Bassett (153)

10 Jacob Umaga (53)

9 Dan Robson (140)

1 Robin Hislop (3)

2 Dan Frost (2)

3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen (48)

4 Vaea Fifita (3)

5 Elliott Stooke (3)

6 Brad Shields (56) (c)

7 Thomas Young (141)

8 Tom Willis (44)

Replacements

16 Patrick Harrison (0)

17 Ben Harris (82)

18 Pieter Scholtz (1)

19 Tim Cardall (31)

20 Nizaam Carr (57)

21 Francois Hougaard (0)

22 Will Simonds (4)

23 Ali Crossdale (3)

Unavailable: Charlie Atkinson, Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, James Gaskell, Joe Launchbury, Rob Miller, Ryan Mills, Paolo Odogwu, Gabriel Oghre, Sam Spink, Theo Vukasinovic, Jack Willis.

[Neils]

That's about as good as we could expect I suppose.

[petros]

Why is Tom West not listed as unavailable or in the 23?

[WonkyWasp]

If I was a supporter of any other team and realised that my team was going to face that Wasps team I would be seriously worried. It looks Good.

[Raggs]

Why is Tom West not listed as unavailable or in the 23?

He's only just back to being fit isn't he? Technically fit, but not ready to play yet.

[mike909]

Again - it's a team that's more than capable of winning - just like last week. Evidence of coaching impact IRO game management was evident last week - but we do need to be careful about conceding penalties as we've looked too vulnerable to 5m lineouts.

The back 5 is again very strong and that's a starting backrow that would easily grace many international sides - but it will be a team effort again that decides. Easily enough pace in the back three, Jimmy and Dan to further Jacob's education and hopefully keep things simple when required.

Great to see the same SRs again - they will be gaining confidence, and in Stooke, an on field leader.

It is a game where we need to play well, manage our efforts and take our chances......(Obviously!)

[hopwood]

I think Jacob's game is fine, to be honest.
I do however, think he'll benefit in this type of game of having kicking responsibilities either handed over to Jimmy, or at least shared.
That allows him to purely concentrate on playing rugby.

It will be interesting to see whether we can maintain scrum and set-piece parity throughout the 80 minutes.
And also have the nous to stop their rolling mauls.

We have some more timber this year...but it will interesting to see how well drilled we are, together as a team.

Fascinating viewing.

[Rossm]

15 Stuart Hogg
14 Jack Nowell
13 Henry Slade
12 Tom Hendrickson
11 Facundo Cordero
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
3 Harry Williams
4 Ryan McCauley
5 Jonny Hill
6 Dave Ewers
7 Richard Capstick
8 Sam Simmonds

16 Jack Yeandle
17 Billy Keast
18 Sam Nixon
19 Will Witty
20 Don Armand
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22 Joe Simmonds
23 Tom O’Flaherty

[Covkid40]

GTA is my only concern. While he is excellent in open play I worry about his scrummaging and the amount of times he get pinged in the scrum. If we can at least maintain parity in the scrum I think we’ll win. If Exeter get the upper had and use it to gain a foothold in our 22 it’s going to be a long afternoon

[Covkid40]

That’s a strong Exeter side

[Raggs]

If we win this, I'll be very pleased.

This is looking like one of those home games in the season that you try and get a BP or two out of if you can. And rely on a few other away wins to help you up the table.

I'd not write us off, but it's going to be tough.

[Steve from Cov]

That’s a strong Exeter side

Very strong ☹️

[Brandnewtorugby]

Here's hoping Wasps win the ball in rucks occasionally to stop Exeter grinding away all of the energy.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Kicking the ball down the centre of the field this week will be a pointless exercise that will likely see Hogg dancing down our throats time after time. I do hope someone persuades Jacob et al that this week that would be a very bad idea.

[Neils]

Kicking the ball down the centre of the field this week will be a pointless exercise that will likely see Hogg dancing down our throats time after time. I do hope someone persuades Jacob et al that this week that would be a very bad idea.

Couldn't have put it better! Just thinking that over lunch looking at the teams.