Always a Wasp

The problem is that players often get away with it too, so you're basically playing the percentages..... Badly in this case

Reider and Guy are great players, I know it's a tough position but I don't think I have seen either of them manage more than a few games without injury. Is it genetics, fitness, bad luck, too much bravery or not being precise enough? How has George Smith managed to stay fit and avoid major injury over such a long career?

I don't think I recall Rieder having too many injuries.
However, Guy has picked a few up over the last season or so.

Guy is 30 now (or is it 31?) and he's had quite a meteoric rise quite late in his career.
He bulked up a lot after he joined us to help handle the premiership physicality, so maybe that extra bulk is taking a toll.


George Smith is an exception to most rules and was playing at the highest level from an incredibly young age, so while he's body will have an accumulated battering over the years, he's always been able to manage it.

Wasps play well when there's plenty of options available in the backs. We typically run 2 lines and Cips takes his pick of the best choice available at any given time.
However, there's more to it than that.

On a number of occasions today, Cipriani either wasn't available, or not in a great position to take the ball, however we didn't have much of a second option so it either went to him anyway, or went straight to midfield where we tried to push through the defence.

I now see one of the things that Jimmy brings to us.
We seem to play so much better with him, but I think it's having the second playmaker at 12 that we need.
That way we can still attack with the same pace even when the 10 is not available.

We see the same when Jimmy is at 10
We still play well, but it seems harder to really break through the defence.


I like Gaby, I think he's a great addition to the squad, but I'm now thinking that we need 2nd 5/8 type of inside centre

If you're coming on in the 2nd half as a scrum half, I suspect you're approach to the game is based on how the rest of the game has gone.

Simmo is often criticised for slowing our attack down when he comes in by ensuring forwards are all in the right place etc.
However, if we already have a 20 point cushion, his instructions may be to close the game out.

Against Worcester, the game was still in the balance, so he came on to keep the tempo as high as possible.

I think Simmo is harshly criticised by a lot of fans and in fact he is attempting to control the game based on the situation.

It could even be that it's something he's been told to work on from England camps. We know England have previously like Wigglesworth for his ability to control a game, so it could be England have previously wanted to see Simmo close games out, as well as do what comes naturally to him - play and run fast