Officials and Stats for Budgies Game

[Rossm]

Referee: Andrew Jackson (32nd Premiership game).

Assistant Referees: Adam Leal & Simon Harding.

TMO: Phillip Bonhoure (FFR).

Citing Officer: Jay Curts.

OPTA STATS

● Wasps have lost their last two home matches against Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership after winning their previous five, failing to claim so much as a losing bonus point in their last encounter at Ricoh Arena.

● Wasps have won their last four matches at home in the Premiership, after losing the previous three; their last home tie resulted in them scoring seven tries against Bath Rugby (41-24 in round 16), the most they have managed in a Premiership match since they also scored seven against Bath Rugby in January 2021.

● Wasps have lost their last three Premiership matches, although they have not lost four in a row since a run between February and March 2021, which was brought to a halt by a 20-18 victory against Newcastle Falcons.

● Newcastle Falcons are winless in their last 10 Premiership matches (excluding forfeited fixtures), the jointlongest run of any side in the Premiership this season (alongside Bath Rugby); however, their last win came away from home (15-14 v Exeter Chiefs in round eight).

● Newcastle Falcons have lost the last 12 Premiership away games in which they have been trailing at the interval; in fact, the last time they managed to come from behind at half-time to win a match away from home was against Wasps in March 2019 (20-19).

● Wasps have the best line-out success rate amongst all teams in this season’s Premiership (93%); Newcastle Falcons are also one of four teams with a line-out success rate above 90% (91%).

● No team has conceded fewer turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Newcastle Falcons (172); however, Wasps have forced more turnovers than any other side so far this term (97).

● No player has beaten more defenders in this year’s Premiership than Wasps’ Tom Willis (72); by comparison, the Newcastle Falcons players with the most defenders beaten this term is Adam Radwan (53).

● Only two players have conceded more turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Wasps’ Jacob Umaga (24); additionally, only Faf de Klerk (4) conceded more turnovers last time out than Wasps’ Jack Willis (3).

● No player has stolen more opposition line-outs in this season’s Premiership than Newcastle Falcons lock Sean Robinson (10); Wasps’ Elliott Stooke ranks second in the same statistic (.

[baldpaul101]

Some interesting stats

Wasps have the best line-out success rate amongst all teams in this season’s Premiership (93%)

Interesting as I have thought the line out was only average!

Wasps have forced more turnovers than any other side so far this term (97)

And that without Jack for most of it!

Only two players have conceded more turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Wasps’ Jacob Umaga (24)

Sounds like someone trying too hard & finding themselves isolated!

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Only two players have conceded more turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Wasps’ Jacob Umaga (24)

Sounds like someone trying too hard & finding themselves isolated!

It is about having no plan B or C in your head before the ball comes to you. Let me give an example. Jacob is often in the back sweeper role waiting to receive a kick forward. Is he standing/moving thinking about fairies and the colour of the grass, or is he he thinking, 'If the ball comes to me, do I kick it out? Am I on the right foot to do that? If I run, which back rowers are in front of me that I can run towards for support? If I kick the ball, do I kick it long, to where? That sort of thing. Watching him, I have to think he is away with the fairies. When gets the ball, he then panics, and runs with it, tries to run around the arriving kick chasers, and almost always gets clobbered, with no support and no hope, or he tosses the ball away to someone, in a hospital pass scenario. Either way, if I had the ball in defence, I would kick it to him every day, as he messes it up so often.

Similarly, when the SH flings the ball to him, he always tries to execute what he had decided to do long before the ball had come to the SH. And the line speed defence was up on him to disrupt that. So they scragg him.

[wasps]

Only two players have conceded more turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Wasps’ Jacob Umaga (24)

Sounds like someone trying too hard & finding themselves isolated!

It is about having no plan B or C in your head before the ball comes to you. Let me give an example. Jacob is often in the back sweeper role waiting to receive a kick forward. Is he standing/moving thinking about fairies and the colour of the grass, or is he he thinking, 'If the ball comes to me, do I kick it out? Am I on the right foot to do that? If I run, which back rowers are in front of me that I can run towards for support? If I kick the ball, do I kick it long, to where? That sort of thing. Watching him, I have to think he is away with the fairies. When gets the ball, he then panics, and runs with it, tries to run around the arriving kick chasers, and almost always gets clobbered, with no support and no hope, or he tosses the ball away to someone, in a hospital pass scenario. Either way, if I had the ball in defence, I would kick it to him every day, as he messes it up so often.

Similarly, when the SH flings the ball to him, he always tries to execute what he had decided to do long before the ball had come to the SH. And the line speed defence was up on him to disrupt that. So they scragg him.

I have no facts to back this comment up, but I think that's absolute tosh.

[Mellie]

Only two players have conceded more turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Wasps’ Jacob Umaga (24)

Sounds like someone trying too hard & finding themselves isolated!

It is about having no plan B or C in your head before the ball comes to you. Let me give an example. Jacob is often in the back sweeper role waiting to receive a kick forward. Is he standing/moving thinking about fairies and the colour of the grass, or is he he thinking, 'If the ball comes to me, do I kick it out? Am I on the right foot to do that? If I run, which back rowers are in front of me that I can run towards for support? If I kick the ball, do I kick it long, to where? That sort of thing. Watching him, I have to think he is away with the fairies. When gets the ball, he then panics, and runs with it, tries to run around the arriving kick chasers, and almost always gets clobbered, with no support and no hope, or he tosses the ball away to someone, in a hospital pass scenario. Either way, if I had the ball in defence, I would kick it to him every day, as he messes it up so often.

Similarly, when the SH flings the ball to him, he always tries to execute what he had decided to do long before the ball had come to the SH. And the line speed defence was up on him to disrupt that. So they scragg him.

I have no facts to back this comment up, but I think that's absolute tosh.

You don't need any. NWW has stated his opinion as fact. Which it isn't. This is what drives me mad about social media and people claiming they know exactly what's what with absolutely nothing to back it up.

I don't suppose you've spoken directly to Jacob and he's told you that, so I presume you actually have no idea. Personally if your assumption is he's away with the fairies then my assumption is your opinion is suspect.

[Peej]

Some interesting stats

Wasps have the best line-out success rate amongst all teams in this season’s Premiership (93%)

Interesting as I have thought the line out was only average!

Wasps have forced more turnovers than any other side so far this term (97)

And that without Jack for most of it!

Only two players have conceded more turnovers in this season’s Premiership than Wasps’ Jacob Umaga (24)

Sounds like someone trying too hard & finding themselves isolated!

Not necessarily, but I think it does suggest his error count is far too high. And when one is in a pivotal position those errors are often more costly.