Always a Wasp

I've posted it complete, as a link will only demand that you register to read it!

I think he perhaps might have mentioned the contrast in last season's September weather and this autumn. I know it's been the same for every team but we definitely prefer firm going.

Wasps, the great entertainers of English rugby, have lost their buzz. What was supposed to be the grand occasion of their 150th anniversary match against Bath last Sunday fell flatter than Theresa May reciting iTunes’ terms and conditions.

A tryless 25-9 reverse marked a third consecutive loss as well as back-to-back defeats at the Ricoh Arena where they previously unbeaten since December 2015. It does not get any easier with Saracens lying in wait on Sunday before a five-day turnaround for their trip to Ulster and the opening match of the Champions Cup.

Fortunes can shift rapidly. Exeter lost six of their first nine fixtures last season before rebounding to beat Wasps 23-20 in the Premiership final. Six of the last nine losing finalists subsequently went on to win the league the following season. Whether Wasps can become the next team in that sequence will depend largely on how quickly they can arrest this current tailspin.

So how have Wasps found themselves stuck in a jam? The most obvious place to start is with their injuries. From being overwhelmed with choice in certain positions last season, Dai Young, the director of rugby, is now down to the barest of bones. “I’m not having any sleepless nights about selection because we've got 24 guys to pick 23 from,” Young says, with typical deadpan humour.

As this newspaper has documented, Wasps are far from alone in having a treatment room that resembles a “morgue”. Some clubs are missing more players, but injuries have had a disproportionate effect on Wasps’ results for two reasons.

Firstly, they do not have the option of calling as many academy reinforcements as their rivals do. “Other clubs have got eight or nine senior academy players who can back that up, that’s something we’ve got to grow,” Young says.

When they relocated to Coventry in 2014, they gave up their fertile academy territory in Middlesex for the parts of the West Midlands that Worcester had not already claimed. It will take several years for that pipeline to be up and running.

Secondly, the injuries have forced Young to change his attacking structure. Last season, Wasps employed a twin playmaker system, commonly with Danny Cipriani at No 10 and Jimmy Gopperth at 12, to great effect. Kurtley Beale and Kyle Eastmond could also fill in as second receiver. Beale is now departed while Eastmond and Cipriani are injured. Gopperth will also miss the Saracens match forcing full-back Rob Miller to step in at fly-half.

That puts a huge responsibility on the first receiver and other teams haven’t been slow to notice. In the 31-17 defeat to Exeter, Gopperth had to make 25 tackles, at least 10 more than he has ever had to make in a game previously. “Your tens should not be making double-figure tackles,” Gopperth said. “When I need all my energy is in attack, but you are out on your feet when you are making 25 tackles.”

Other tactical adjustments have been made. Opposition teams are kicking far less to Wasps back field. As one rival coach told The Daily Telegraph this week: “Why on earth would you kick to a back three with Christian Wade and Marcus Watson in it?”

The change in the ruck laws have encouraged teams to contest fewer rucks leaving more players in the defensive lines and fewer holes for the likes of Wade and Elliot Daly to exploit. Bath took this to an extreme last Sunday, barely attacking a single ruck.

“You can’t attack against a defensive line of 15 players every single phase,” Gopperth said. “There were times when we had four in rucks and Bath had none. Teams are looking at that and we have to be smarter in how we deal with that.”

Earning the right to go wide in other words. But, again, injuries have ruled out several prominent ball-carriers with the single best source of penetration, No 8 Nathan Hughes, absent against Saracens through a dead leg.

Confidence has also become an issue. “It is just excitement,” Gopperth said. “When we are at our best, the boys behind the forwards or out wide they are jumping up and wanting the ball. I am sure it will come back and as soon as it does it will click.”

Wasps’ form should return when they get their cavalry back, but there is also a realisation that they need to evolve after five successive seasons in which they have improved their league placing from 11th to first.

“We don’t have to change everything because last year we scored more tries and more points than anyone else so we can’t be doing everything wrong,” Young said. “But I have said all along that what we did last season will not be good enough this season because teams will adapt and they will look at ways of stopping us playing. We have got to come up with something a little bit different.”

I don't believe Chesty's was forgivable. In the immediate context of the game, it was imperative that we did not relieve the pressure on Exe by giving away a soft penalty. Chesty should have taken this into account. It all goes back to SCWs TCUP. Thinking Clearly Under Pressure. Chesty let his enthusiasm get the better of him and had the worst result.
JCW should have taken a bit more care and not risked a penalty in an eminently kickable position. He took a chance and we went a further 3 points down.
All players should be a bit more aware.

Given away by both Chesty and Jake - particularly the latter. What on earth was he thinking? I can't remember when I've seen a more blatant 'in at the side'. These sort of errors when the entire team is struggling are really unforgivable.

Rose is either blind or malicious to allow Roko's try. There were two clear knock ons by Cooke in the ruck leading up to it. I could see them (and I only have one eye) on the replays.

No

I think EJ prefers a certain attitude in his forwards, Joe isn't his cup of tea

A bit more Earl Grey rather than M & S Extra Strong:)

James is an old pro and should never have reacted to Marler's puerile antics.

I really like Will Rowlands.