Teams Up

[Rossm]

Wasps (First-team appearances)
15 Willie Le Roux (44)
14 Josh Bassett (90)
13 Michele Campagnaro (2)
12 Michael Le Bourgeois (13)
11 Elliot Daly (185)
10 Lima Sopoaga (13)
9 Dan Robson (91)
1 Ben Harris (33)
2 Tom Cruse (48)
3 Jake Cooper-Woolley (120)
4 Will Rowlands (62)
5 Kearnan Myall (128)
6 Brad Shields (c) (6)
7 Thomas Young (99)
8 Nizaam Carr (22)

Replacements
16 Antonio Harris (12)
17 Zurabi Zhvania (12)
18 Will Stuart (21)
19 Charlie Matthews (7)
20 Ben Morris (9)
21 Craig Hampson (25)
22 Billy Searle (9)
23 Juan de Jongh (35)

Thomas Young will become a Wasps centurion on Saturday as his side travel to Twickenham to face Harlequins in Big Game 11 (kick-off 4pm).

The Welsh flanker will make his 100th appearance in the Black and Gold, as part of a powerful back row which includes Springbok Nizaam Carr and England international Brad Shields, who is set to captain the side for the first time.

Meanwhile, Director of Rugby Dai Young has handed Michele Campagnaro his first Wasps start at outside centre next to Michael Le Bourgeois, with Elliot Daly moving out to the wing alongside Willie Le Roux and Josh Bassett in the back three. Ross Neal misses out with a hip knock.

Dan Robson gets his first start since picking up an injury against Gloucester Rugby in October and he will partner All Black Lima Sopoaga in the half-back pairing.

In the front row Ashley Johnson is ruled out with an abdominal injury so Tom Cruse
starts for his 49th Wasps appearance at hooker alongside props Ben Harris and Jake Cooper-Woolley.

Will Rowlands and Kearnan Myall continue in the second row with Joe Launchbury missing out having sustained a neck knock in training this week. James Gaskell remains sidelined with a back/hamstring injury.

Antonio Harris comes into the replacements while tighthead Will Stuart steps in for Kieran Brookes, who suffered a significant ankle syndesmosis injury last time out.

Back row Ben Morris comes into the 23 as Nathan Hughes has flown out to Fiji due to a family bereavement. Juan de Jongh also returns to the squad.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “The players are hurting after last weekend. We felt like we let the support down.

“We want to see a reaction from the players against Quins on the big stage. Everyone wants to play in a big occasion such as this.

“It’s my responsibility and all I want the players to do is concentrate on getting their performances right and getting back to how we know we can play.

“Quins can beat anyone on their day. They are an abrasive team and have threats all across the board.

“They have a strong pack and they have plenty of quality within their ranks to carve you to shreds if you don’t get things right.”

[BlackCountryWasp]

Interesting selection but a good one. Very happy with Brad as skipper, CMK will need his ear defenders on tomorrow.

[Rossm]

Brad is skipper. No Launch (training knock). Campo starts, Elliot on the wing. Rosco's got a hip knock. I thought he got it early on against Bath.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Neal was injured in the last game in the rear upper area of his right leg.

No Ashley this week, and no Launchbury. Also no Gaskell either.

[Rossm]

And the enemy:

15. Mike Brown (306)
14. Nathan Earle (13)
13. Joe Marchant (70)
12. Francis Saili (14)
11. Cadan Murley (9)
10. Marcus Smith (43)
9. Danny Care (252)

1. Joe Marler (180)
2. Dave Ward (156)
3. Kyle Sinckler (130)
4. Matt Symons (12)
5. Ben Glynn (31)
6. Alex Dombrandt (9)
7. Jack Clifford (83)
8. James Chisholm (Captain, 69)

Game Changers
16. Max Crumpton (11)
17. Nick Auterac (4)
18. Will Collier (140)
19. George Merrick (92)
20. Renaldo Bothma (16)
21. Charlie Mulchrone (30)
22. James Lang (34)
23. Gabriel Ibitoye (11)

A pity Charlie's not starting against his old club. However I see they've started Matt Symons.

I hope their 'gamechangers' change it for the worse for them

[mike909]

Any team with Marchant, Earle and Smith will be able to create. Personally rate Earle as a better all around player than big Joe at present. We probably just have the edge in the back three, but.......yet another midfield, at least Robson starts and I suppose that's an at least Super Rugby standard backrow.

I hope that Daly and WLR in the back three suggests a more complex plan for going forwards, sorry Charlie isn't starting, especially as their front row looks more than decent.

Both sides a bit unpredictable - hard one to call. We need to good start, be that scoring or settling into the game.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

It appears that Nathan is absent due to a family bereavement back in Fiji, which is where is is right now.