Teams Up for Saints Brad's Back

[Rossm]

Lee Blackett has named his side to travel to Northampton in Gallagher Premiership Round 20 on Sunday.

There are three personnel changes and one positional switch from the team that played against Bristol Bears.

Brad Shields returns from injury to captain the side in the absence of Joe Launchbury. Shields is joined in the back row by the Willis brothers.

Jack Willis is one of four players to be making their 50th Premiership appearance against Saints. Willis, Tom West, Jacob Umaga and Nizaam Carr all reach the milestone at Franklin’s Gardens.

Umaga switches from full back to fly half, as he partners Dan Robson at half-back. Marcus Watson takes his place at 15. He is joined by Paolo Odogwu and Josh Bassett in the back three.

Tim Cardall starts in the second row, alongside Elliott Stooke.

West forms the front row with Gabriel Oghre and Biyi Alo once more.

The centre partnership is unchanged from round 18, as Ryan Mills partners Sam Spink.

Carr is joined on the bench by the returning Dan Frost, Robin Hislop and Vaea Fifita. They are coupled with Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Will Porter, Charlie Atkinson and Jimmy Gopperth as the other replacements.

Wasps team to face Northampton Saints at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens on Sunday (kick-off 3:00pm)

Wasps (First-team appearances) 

1 Tom West (66)

2 Gabriel Oghre (60)

3 Biyi Alo (32)

4 Tim Cardall (43)

5 Elliott Stooke (18)

6 Brad Shields (70) (c)

7 Jack Willis (68)

8 Tom Willis (54)

9 Dan Robson (148)

10 Jacob Umaga (62)

11 Josh Bassett (169)

12 Ryan Mills (10)

13 Sam Spink (18)

14 Paolo Odogwu (30)

15 Marcus Watson (66)

Replacements

16 Dan Frost (10)

17 Robin Hislop (16)

18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (60)

19 Vaea Fifita (14)

20 Nizaam Carr (70)

21 Will Porter (46)

22 Charlie Atkinson (26)

23 Jimmy Gopperth (146)

Unavailable (: Alfie Barbeary, Ali Crossdale, Tom Cruse, Malakai Fekitoa, James Gaskell, Joe Launchbury, Rodrigo Martinez, Thomas Young.

[Neils]

Bit of a weird one that.

[Rossm]

Saints.

15 George Furbank
14 Courtnall Skosan
13 Fraser Dingwall (c)
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tom Collins
10 James Grayson
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Alex Waller
2 Sam Matavesi
3 Paul Hill
4 David Ribbans
5 Api Ratuniyarawa
6 Alex Coles
7 Teimana Harrison
8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:
16 Mike Haywood
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Conor Carey
19 Brandon Nansen
20 JJ Tonks
21 Tom James
22 Piers Francis
23 Ollie Sleightholme

[HDAWG]

Bit of a weird one that.

How so?

For me back row is my starting choice this season and next. Jacob at 10 to rotate with Charlie. Mills and Spink start again to get partnership working. Relying more on those who will be here next season. And Tim Cardall starting is always good.

[Steve from Cov]

Wasps selection looks very balanced with strong bench. Very pleased.

[Shugs]

Really happy with that. Stooke and Cardall is a combination that could be great. Huge having Shields back and I think Umaga to 10 is the right call.

[Westy68]

Not sure I would have Cardall over Fifita, but that's a small point, it looks good. I just hope Umaga has a consistent game and as a team our intensity is way up.

Really don't know how this one will go, especially has we have been so poor recently

[JonnyD]

You could definitely see Jacob edging his way back to the 10 shirt and Porter cannot be far from the 9 shirt. Time for Robson to up his game.

I think with Cardall and Shields back we’ll be a lot better at clearing the rucks as those two do a lot of the dirt work allowing Willis T to carry and Willis J and Oghre to pick the rucks they went to try and jackal in.

Wondered if Odogwu might have ended up in the 13 shirt for this to try and keep Spink protected a little, he’s played the most rugby ever I think in his professional career without injury now and like Barbeary probably needs to be looked after. Saying that, it’s nice to see a partnership start to develop much like Hutchinson and Dingwall have developed in recent years.

Would have liked a bit more impact in the 23 shirt and also think after watching the game back again from last week again Mills needs a big game.

[Covkid40]

Starting line up looks almost as strong as possible. I’m happy to go the rest of the season with players that will be here next season as well. Still not convinced Jacob is a starting premiership 10 but I also think it’s the correct decision to give Charlie a break as I believe he was rushed back from injury out of necessity. The three backs on the bench looks a bit odd, Porter is a given and can probably feel a bit upset at not starting, for me you either have Charlie or Jimmy on the bench but not both

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Having Brad and Tom both being able to play No8 on the field and Fifita on the bench means Lee can go with a 4/3 split on the bench. I like that because its the backs and centres where we have been weakest and it gives more options there as the game goes on.

[mike909]

Good looking team, on paper, so to speak. Like the look of the pack and that's a more than decent front row. Backrow is near our first choice and probably rather better balanced than England's! If they provide the go forwards, the backline has the pace and talent - but we do need to play for 80 and not gift Saints points from trying to be too clever.

Dan probably needs to show some management and show he is the senior player so that the midfield can just play a little.

[Rugbyintheblood]

Looks like a good team selection and being able to have some continuity with the combinations must feel encouraging to the guys.

Looking forward to the team hitting the ground running in the first 10 mins this time.

I think we can do this 🐝

[Heathen]

Happy to see Jacob back in the 10 shirt. It gives a better balance to the backs.

Pack looks strong and our bench is not shabby either.

As others have said, we need to hit the straps from the first minute and show our intent. Looking foward to watching this one.