Morning all!

[Wombles]

Good morning and happy new year to all Waspies from a very quiet Guildford! I am up with the lark as I was in bed by 10pm last night. But I get far more joy from a early night and awaking rested to enjoy the sunrise, breath in that fresh air you only get in the early morning whilst enjoying hot coffee. I did not think I would of been saying that after my teenage years and 20’s where late nights at gigs, clubs and the quintessential raves we went to in he 90’s!

I am acutely excited about our lads trip to Sale today. The Irish game showed what we can do, and gave us a glimpse of this full squads potential when our crippling injury list reduces. Jacob would of been ideal here to back up his performance from last week, but 2 weeks on the naughty step is fully justified. Evergreen (Gopps) however is a quality operator at 10 so I feel reassured, and his leadership will be vital not because Sale are quality, and visiting them is a exceptionally hard place to get a result, but also with Booj and Spink in midfield they will need all the direction he provides, especially coming up against Du Preez and Van Rensberg.

It is great to see Nizzam starting, and the pack looks balanced. Bomber and Frosty are turning into cracking finds, and the front 5 looks more reassured.

This is going to be an arm wrestle though. But no matter how many years go by the same rule about our wonderful sport applies. Whoever wins the set piece and dominates the gain line will win today. Despite their league position, Sale at home are rightly favourites, we will have to show that if we are going to be looking at champions cup next year, then these are places we can go to and prove we can get a result.

Come on you Wasps!

Chris

Once a Wasp ALWAYS a Wasp! 

Rugby by birth, Wasps by the grace of God!

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Morning Wombles, morning one and all.

I too prefer early to bed, early to rise and again I don't think you'd have found me saying that in my youth. I remember New Year  1977 in Cyprus when I drew the short straw and ended up duty Corporal. It was quite amusing watching the drunks coming and going. The worse bit was that when I wanted to go off and do something on new year's day all my friends were hung over.

Anyway, back to the present. Sale are always a tough team to beat and losing Diamond hasn't changed that. We're going to have to dig deep to get a win but with th boys have shown shown over the past few months I'm quietly confident.

Safe travels.

[Rossm]

Morning all. Happy New year to everyone. Now that 2021 has gone, along with one of the dullest Decembers on record, can we look forward to a better and brighter 2022? I certainly bloody hope so.

Now for the trip to Sale. Never an easy game and today will be no different. I'd love a win, but I'm not confident that we can carry it off. But we must come away with something. It will be a tough one for our centres. I wonder if Gopps will be kicking for territory and maybe the occasional 50/22 as a bonus?

Good luck and I hope that we stay injury free.

[Neils]

Morning All

HNY to all Morning All'ers. Late bed early rise doesn't do anyone any good - have to stay with it for the match!

Very dull here and damp under foot. Can't see Manchester being any different. Not an easy task today against a still strong team but perhaps winning the last one will give them a lift.

To anyone travelling - safe journey.

COYW

[WonkyWasp]

Good morning everyone.  It's dark over here but lightening up.  We've got a busy morning  ahead in our village (population 64ish)  as Mr Wonky and our local friend ((Guy Yhompson's one time rugby teacher) are going swimming in the little local river (tributary of the Monnow) at mid-day to raise funds for the local Air Ambulance Service.  Several other people and some visitors will join in after ... they said.  The weather promises to be fair and it looks as if they have chosen the warmest New Year's Day ever! Not that rain or snow would have stopped them . They go 'swimming'  every week.  I don't.  There's a BBQ after  followed by A tremendous (hopefully)win by Wasps at Sadle, so it's going to be a busy day.  With a bit of luck Wasps can do this tho' Hamish could be a spanner in the works.  Devastated to see that Jimmy Gopps hasn't got his Knighthood yet.  Safe journeys to all of you and stay safe.  Allez Allez Allez and C O Y W  You CAN do it.

[WonkyWasp]

PS:  For Sadle'  read 'Sale'!    New Year's Resolution ...........   learn to spell .

[Chunky24]

Morning All, woken up in Cheltenham today ready for a day at the races so probably be occasionally updates on here / twitter for me, good luck and safe travels to all on here, the team and those involved at Cheltenham.

[Brandnewtorugby]

Morning all, best wishes to you and yours. First things first, determined to start the year with a dog walk, paper and coffee in this unusually mild weather.

Looking forward to the game today. I was interested to read Lee's comments about the impact of injuries on training with the lack of players to train against leading to wingers playing against props etc. It is one of the unseen impacts of the injury crisis. Lots of admiration for the wider squad stepping up to hold the team together in less than ideal circumstances.

Here's to a great game and hoping Wasps have turned a corner and (to a slightly lesser extent!) Sale can also be in good form today. To my simple eye Sale seem to be more together when AJ MacGinty is playing, so expecting it to be a tight and tough for Wasps.

Safe journey travellers, Come on you Wasps!

Notso

[NellyWellyWaspy]

A gorgeous sunrise this morning. Lovely outside right now. Blue skies, bonkers warm, a few very unusual clouds of various colours. Another flock of geese flying North has just flown over. My wife is sat on the garden bench with a cup of tea, reading a book I bought her for Christmas, with one of the cats snuggled up in her lap. A lovely early Summer's day.

The neighbours kept me up with fireworks and their party half the night (till gone 2am), so I will need to thank them by encouraging my four cats to go poop in their garden.

As to the game, feeling strangely hopeful.

[andermt]

Morning all from a very windy Scotland, up visiting parents and if the match had been tomorrow would have stopped off on the way home.

Just hoping for a good showing with no new injuries which would probably be a 1st from a match at the AJ Bell, remember Cips being carted off in an Ambulance at the end of the match one of the last times I visited.

[wasps]

Morning morning

I've got no idea how the game will go, I'm just grateful that we're not playing Sale on a Friday evening.
I don't know the actual stats, but it feels like we're hopeless on Friday nights.


I feel a lot will depend on how the players hold up.
An early injury in the centres and things feel awkward again.


Good luck guys and safe travels to anyone going to the game

[mike909]

Morning all and HNY to you all and all Wasps. My main hopes are to see the back of the pandemic and that Wasps injured can get on the pitch.

Late night comforting the dog as the local artillery (or so it seemed) blasted from midnight on and a late morning in compensation.....

Raining in S Glos......band of not forecast rain appeared on the radar and is soaking the garden......local dog walk as the park will be like a bog

Sale....excited that if we play to our best we can win a game that's not an easy one for any team. The better news on the injury front also is cheering and I'll be watching every minute - hopefully from the front of the sofa.....

COYW

[backdoc]

Morning all.

Sunny in Harrow currently and very mild.

The bookies have Sale at 1/6,    Wasps at 4/1
I have bitten.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Suddenly went grey and drizzled, now cleared up and dry again. That was not forecast.

[Heathen]

Morning one and all.

The light on the approaching horizon is, that we get to the halway stage in our GP season after the Tigers game next week. We then have two weeks of HC matches.

The next GP game after those is on 30/1 v Sarries. By that time, based on what we have been told, a significant chunk of our walking wounded might well be available for selection. 12 games then to secure a top 6 finish. I reckon we will do it.

Fingers crossed that all our lads deliver the goods today. Be nice to start the NY with a W.


#COYW