Teams Up for Glos - Will Porter Starts

[Rossm]

Lee Blackett has named his side to travel to Gloucester in Gallagher Premiership Round 22 on Saturday.

There are three personnel changes and one positional switch from the win against Newcastle Falcons last weekend.

Will Porter makes his 50th Wasps appearance as he starts at scrum half. Porter forms the half-back partnership with Charlie Atkinson.

Atkinson’s return sees Jacob Umaga move to full back. Umaga is joined in the back three by wingers Paolo Odogwu and Josh Bassett.

The front row is made up of Tom West, Gabriel Oghre and Biyi Alo.

Malakai Fekitoa starts at outside centre. He forms the centre partnership with Jimmy Gopperth.

Brad Shields joins Alfie Barbeary and Jack Willis in an unchanged back row, while Elliott Stooke lines up alongside captain Joe Launchbury in the second row.

Amongst the replacements Zach Kibirige is in line to make his 50th Premiership appearance for Wasps. He is joined on the bench by Dan Frost, Ben Harris, Elliot Millar-Mills, Vaea Fifita, Tom Willis, Dan Robson and Sam Spink as the other replacements.

Wasps team to face Gloucester at Kingsholm on Saturday (kick-off 3:00pm)

Wasps (First-team appearances)

1 Tom West (68)

2 Gabriel Oghre (62)

3 Biyi Alo (34)

4 Joe Launchbury (165) (c)

5 Elliott Stooke (20)

6 Brad Shields (72)

7 Jack Willis (70)

8 Alfie Barbeary (25)

9 Will Porter (49)

10 Charlie Atkinson (28)

11 Josh Bassett (171)

12 Jimmy Gopperth (148)

13 Malakai Fekitoa (42)

14 Paolo Odogwu (33)

15 Jacob Umaga (64)

Replacements

16 Dan Frost (13)

17 Ben Harris (85)

18 Elliot Millar-Mills (10)

19 Vaea Fifita (16)

20 Tom Willis (57)

21 Dan Robson (150)

22 Sam Spink (19)

23 Zach Kibirige (60)

Unavailable (6): Tom Cruse, James Gaskell, Francois Hougaard, Michael Le Bourgeois, Rodrigo Martinez, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen.

[Neils]

Think Tom W should start.

[Rossm]

Gloucester Rugby
15. Kyle Moyle

14. Santiago Carreras

13. Chris Harris

12. Mark Atkinson

11. Louis Rees-Zammit *

10. Adam Hastings

9. Ben Meehan

 

1. Val Rapava-Ruskin

2. Jack Singleton

3. Fraser Balmain

4. Freddie Clarke *

5. Matias Alemanno

6. Jordy Reid

7. Lewis Ludlow * (c)

8. Ruan Ackermann

 

16. Santiago Socino

17. Harry Elrington

18. Kirill Gotovtsev

19. Andrew Davidson

20. Ben Morgan

21. Charlie Chapman *

22. Billy Twelvetrees

23. Tom Seabrook *

*Denotes Academy player or graduate from the Gloucester Rugby Academy.

[WonkyWasp]

Plus 1 at least, Neils.  Very pleased to see Mr Porter starting  (about time) and happy that Westy is fit to play  (and start) but I'd rather see T Willis starting at 8 than Alfie or indeed anyone else.

[Shugs]

Personally, for this one I’d have gone with Barbeary at 6, Shields 7 and T Willis 8 with Jack on the bench. Nice to see Harris on the bench. The mobility of that second front row is great - as long as they can push as well. Bench wise I think I’d have Carr over Fifita even though he played Tues.

[Rossm]

I see they've got their Rooskie on the bench

[Rossm]

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/gloucester-v-wasps-rugby-live-23566156

Some really interesting quotes from Blackett re away form in this.

[JonnyD]

Watch Porter now kick far too much and then Robson come on after 60 to bring the much needed tempo.
(Happened the same whenever Porter or Wusty started earlier in the season, the one coming off the bench brought the energy and did enough to merit the start the following week to then have it happen the other way round)

Should be a good one this! We were awful against Gloucester last time and I’m still frustrated we didn’t win that one, will be a tough ask this time around but we owe them a better contest.
Mehson unlucky to not get the 23 shirt but Zack is also playing his way back in too I guess.

[hopwood]

Good side, good bench.
If Will, Charlie, Jacob, Jimmy and Malakai can all play well and interlink with some guile, then we have a chance.

But it’s going to be a tough day at the office…and our forwards are going to have to make some hard yards, as well as disrupt their maul.

And everyone is going to have to tackle like a demon.

[MarleyWasp]

Mehson unlucky to not get the 23 shirt but Zack is also playing his way back in too I guess.

You have to select a bench capable of playing 79 minutes in the event of an early injury. Mehson played the full 80 on Tuesday night, so whilst I share your view he deserves a chance, I think tomorrow comes too soon and am not surprised to see that none of the squad from Tuesday is included.

[Peej]

I think Mehson and Mills were to two most likely to have been included, but s others have said Tuesday was just too soon.

I still don't agree with Alfie over Tom. It didn't work last week.

[Westy68]

On paper it's a very good team, if we play like a very good team, god only knows. I don't see us getting anything out of this game, we normally play awful away to Gloucester.

let's hope we can click

[mike909]

On paper it's a very good team, if we play like a very good team, god only knows. I don't see us getting anything out of this game, we normally play awful away to Gloucester.

let's hope we can click

Can't disagree with this.....We have a good team on paper - but Glaws are also good, at home and have a good coaching team that has mainly got their players to do what they coach. Good centre partnership - including one with a point to prove, a good starting back row and a very good bench indeed...with brains in 12T and Morgan who's still a handful. Whilst LRZ is still prone to odd foul up - he really has the wheels that we perhaps lack at present?

We need to make the best of our v steady front 5 and use a bit of game management if we're to even keep in the game.

It's an odd game in that I think there are a number of player that ought to be involved with England but seemed not to fit....especially in the backrows.

[Rossm]

Skybet thinks it will be tight.

Glos - 8/15
Wasps - 11/8
Draw 20/1

[Heathen]

Game management will be crucial.