Teams Up for Briz - Jack Starts.

[Rossm]

Lee Blackett has named his side to travel to Bristol in Gallagher Premiership Round 18 on Friday.

There are three personnel changes and one positional switch from the team that played Harlequins last Saturday.

James Gaskell makes his 150th Wasps appearance, as he starts at blindside flanker. Gaskell is joined by the Willis brothers in the back row. Jack Willis makes his first start of the season, having come off the bench last week.

Club Captain Joe Launchbury returns from England training camp to start in the second row, alongside Elliott Stooke.

The only other change sees Gabriel Oghre come in at hooker for the injured Tom Cruse. Oghre is flanked in the front row by Biyi Alo and Tom West, who signed a new contract with the Club this week.

The backline is unchanged from last weekend, Ryan Mills and Sam Spink form the centre partnership.

Jacob Umaga is at full-back and is joined by Paolo Odogwu and Josh Bassett in the back three.

Dan Robson and Charlie Atkinson form the half-back pairing once more.

On the bench, Marcus Watson is in line to make his 50th Premiership appearance for Wasps. Alfie Barbeary also returns to the squad, having been released from the England squad. They are joined by Michael van Vuuren, Ben Harris, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Nizaam Carr, Will Porter and Jimmy Gopperth as the other replacements.

Wasps team to face Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate Stadium on Friday (kick-off 7:45pm)

Wasps (First-team appearances)

1 Tom West (65)

2 Gabriel Oghre (59)

3 Biyi Alo (31)

4 Joe Launchbury (163) (c)

5 Elliott Stooke (17)

6 James Gaskell (149)

7 Jack Willis (67)

8 Tom Willis (53)

9 Dan Robson (147)

10 Charlie Atkinson (25)

11 Josh Bassett (168)

12 Ryan Mills (9)

13 Sam Spink (17)

14 Paolo Odogwu (29)

15 Jacob Umaga (61)

Replacements

16 Michael van Vuuren (6)

17 Ben Harris (83)

18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (59)

19 Nizaam Carr (69)

20 Alfie Barbeary (23)

21 Will Porter (45)

22 Jimmy Gopperth (145)

23 Marcus Watson (65)

Unavailable (: Tom Cruse, Malakai Fekitoa, Vaea Fifita, Dan Frost, Robin Hislop, Rodrigo Martinez, Brad Shields, Thomas Young.

[Neils]

Not bad considering

[Rossm]

Bristol Bears

15. Henry Purdy (36 apps); 14. Niyi Adeolokun (19 apps), 13. Semi Radradra (31 apps), 12. Antoine Frisch (6 apps), 11. Alapati Leiua (93 apps); 10. Tiff Eden (17 apps), 9. Theo Strang (4 apps); 1. Jake Woolmore (99 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (66 apps), 3. Max Lahiff (39 apps), 4. Dave Attwood (66 apps), 5. Joe Joyce (141 apps), 6. Chris Vui (83 apps), 7. Jake Heenan (65 apps), 8. Steven Luatua (c) (90 apps).

System players: 16. Bryan Byrne (24 apps), 17. Yann Thomas (83 apps), 18. Jake Armstrong (23 apps), 19. Sam Jeffries (43 apps), 20. Dan Thomas (102 apps), 21. Ioan Lloyd (57 apps), 22. Callum Sheedy (122 apps), 23. Piers O’Conor (97 apps)

Unavailable: Kyle Sinckler, John Afoa, Fitz Harding, Harry Randall, Andy Uren, Tom Whiteley, Toby Venner, Max Green, Sam Bedlow, Toby Fricker, Charles Piutau, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Charlie Powell.

[Neils]

System Players - give me strength.

[WonkyWasp]

Good to see Ben Harris back in working order.  Did wonder if  that would happen.  Exccellent.

[hookender]

Fingers crossed backs will be more ‘together’ this week

 Forwards seem to be what we were hoping for/ speculating

[Shugs]

Strong team and bench. I’d have given Jack time by swapping him and Carr. Bristol look strong as well and at Ashton Gate it will be close.

[WonkyWasp]

'System Players'.  Hmmm ..... twee and pretentious.  (Dons metal helmet)

[HDAWG]

Looking good, Jack starting is exciting.

Not convinced about Umaga at 15 still, but the joys of having 2 young fly halves... Funny I'm having déjà vu to Sopoaga Umaga situation.

I'd argue that's borderline full strength. Only missing Shields, Crossdale and maybe Frost/Cruse (I'm torn over starting hooker). Looking good. Hope they gel.

[DGP Wasp]

'System Players'.  Hmmm ..... twee and pretentious.  (Dons metal helmet)

Not sure anyone on here would disagree!  In fact I reckon most Briz supporters (and I know quite a few) would concur!

[COYW15]

Confusingly Bristol's instagram post describes the replacements as 'Impact Players'. I wonder what accounts for the difference?

[Westy68]

Really pleased Ben Harris is back, we should dominate the scrum, lets hope our maul is better this week.

I think its the right thing to play Jack, give him an hour and then Carr will be a great replacement.

If our intensity is up from last week I expect a win, if its not then our slim hope of top 4 will be blown.

[coddy]

We need to get at their 9,10,12 axis, they only have 27 appearances between the 3 of them and no doubt a fair few of them would of been as "system" players!

[matelot22]

lets hope our maul is better this week.

I'd hope that would be the case with Launch and Elliot starting

[Rossm]

We need to get at their 9,10,12 axis, they only have 27 appearances between the 3 of them and no doubt a fair few of them would of been as "system" players!

Or failed 'impact' players?