From today's Telegraph:
WaspsWho are the real Wasps?Inconsistent also-rans or enigmatic challengers? This question, no doubt, will be posed to the players by Lee Blackett himself. It has been a fraught summer and recruitment plans were put on hold due to financial uncertainty. Even so, Blackett picked up some gems.
Vincent Koch and John Ryan were captured as tighthead prop was targeted for improvement, which made sense given Wasps only won 85.5 per cent of their scrum put-ins last Premiership season.
Only Bath and London Irish were lower. Sticking with the Exiles, a 42-42 draw on May 1 in Brentford, immortalised as the afternoon on which Henry Arundell convinced Eddie Jones, encapsulated Wasps’ fragility. They had been leading 39-14 with 20 minutes left.
A great deal depends on senior statesmen like Joe Launchbury staying fit and a group of youngsters – Charlie Atkinson, Alfie Barbeary, Jacob Umaga and Jack and Tom Willis – continuing to progress. Sam Spink, a sturdy outside centre, can establish himself as well. Meanwhile, there will be a toss-up for the 12 shirt. Burger Odendaal, another new signing, is the direct option with 30-year-old Ryan Mills, disrupted by injuries for so long, more of a second distributor.
Player to watch
John Ryan: Released by Munster just before Christmas, Ryan turned 34 last month and won the last of his Ireland caps against Japan in July of 2021. Still, he could be one half of a fearsome double-act with one of Biyi Alo or Vincent Koch, when the latter returns from Springboks duty, that would shore up a problem area and lay a sturdy scrummaging platform for Wasps.
Full article is here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2022/09/08/question-premiership-club-must-answer-season-part-two/
Topic: Article - Who are the real Wasps? (Read 801 times)
Always a Wasp