Always a Wasp

15 Willie Le Roux
14 Ross Neal
13 Elliot Daly
12 Michael Le Bourgeois
11 Josh Bassett
10 Billy Searle
9 Craig Hampson
1 Ben Harris
2 Ashley Johnson (c)
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Charlie Matthews
5 Kearnan Myall
6 Ben Morris
7 Thomas Young
8 Nizaam Carr

Replacements
16 Antonio Harris
17 Zurabi Zhvania
18 Will Stuart
19 Will Rowlands
20 Tom Willis
21 Will Porter
22 Lima Sopoaga
23 Michele Campagnaro

Ben Morris and Billy Searle will be handed their Heineken Champions Cup debuts for Wasps against Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday (kick-off 4.15pm local time, 3.15pm GMT).

Flanker Morris, who turned 27 yesterday, returns to the side and fly half Searle steps in for Lima Sopoaga, as the pair make their first European appearances in the Black and Gold.

Meanwhile, lock Charlie Matthews will also be making his first European start for the Club with Ashley Johnson coming in for the injured Tom Cruse (knee) at hooker.

Morris joins Thomas Young and Nizaam Carr in the back row with Brad Shields (ankle) and Nathan Hughes (hip) out, while Matthews is partnered by the experienced Kearnan Myall in the second row.

Searle lines up next to scrum half Craig Hampson while Michael Le Bourgeois and Elliot Daly continue their centre partnership. Willie Le Roux, Josh Bassett and Ross Neal start in the back three.

In the replacements, Academy back row Tom Willis could make his first Champions Cup appearance with Italian star Michele Campagnaro preparing to make his European bow in the Black and Gold.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “I don’t think we’re a million miles off where we want to be. We’ve looked a bit better as a team over the past two to three weeks.

“There are little things we’re not getting right at the moment though which could’ve been the difference last weekend.

“Toulouse are a team to be feared at home. They certainly step up their offloading game so we’re going to have to go out and put a performance in.

“We’ll have to do the basics well. It’s a good place to go and try and build something before going back into the Premiership but we have to be better both sides of the ball.”

Article by Bobby Bridge,:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/michael-le-bourgeois-wasps-15533792

Article by Bobby Bridge in the Coventry Telegraph. An illuminating read.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-nick-eastwood-dai-young-15522163

15 Wille Le Roux
14 Ross Neal
13 Elliot Daly (c)
12 Michael Le Bourgeois
11 Josh Bassett
10 Lima Sopoaga
9 Craig Hampson
1 Ben Harris
2 Tom Cruse
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Will Rowlands
5 Kearnan Myall
6 Brad Shields
7 Thomas Young
8 Nathan Hughes

Replacements
16 Ashley Johnson
17 Zurabi Zhvania
18 Will Stuart
19 Charlie Matthews
20 Nizaam Carr
21 Will Porter
22 Billy Searle
23 Juan de Jongh

Josh Bassett, Tom Cruse and Thomas Young all return to the Wasps starting line-up as the men in Black and Gold prepare for an all-important Heineken Champions Cup clash with Toulouse at Ricoh Arena on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).

Bassett returns on the left wing after being rested while Cruse (ribs) and Young (hamstring and calf) recover from knocks which kept them out of action last weekend.

Bassett is joined by Ross Neal and Springbok Wille Le Roux in the back three while skipper Elliot Daly lines up with Michael Le Bourgeois in the centres. Lima Sopoaga and Craig Hampson form the half-back combination.

Cruse is joined in the front row by Ben Harris and Kieran Brookes while Will Rowlands and Kearnan Myall form the second row partnership.

Young, who has made the most turnovers in the competition this season with seven in two games, partners England pair Brad Shields and Nathan Hughes in the back row.

Ashley Johnson (knee) and Will Stuart (neck) recover from injuries to return to the match day 23.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “We’ve been mentioning all week about how hard it is to get into Europe. You work your socks off for ten months in the league to make sure you’re in the competition and you want to experience these big games.

“It’s a great game to take to the Ricoh. The history and tradition that Toulouse obviously bring to the European competition is there for all to see.

“They are a quality team, their offloading game is second to none and they have big physical players who can get over the gainline, and not only that, but keep the ball moving with offloads.

“We’re going to have to be at our best. It’s a knockout game really as if we don’t win this match, we put ourselves under a huge amount of pressure and it will be very hard to progress.”

Full text here:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-open-letter-15514840

Despite our position, I wouldn't be surprised if there are already confidential but informal discussions between Wasps and CCFC going on behind the scenes.

After the game he was quoted as saying, referring to the scrums,  “It was a bit of a mess,” said Jamie George, at the heart of them. “Let’s just say, what I thought was happening and what everybody else did were very different things.” "No one is any the wiser" said Michael Aylwin.

I don't know why I put 'spoiler alert' in the subject header. 0-0 at HT. This game is as dull as ditchwater.

Nathan Hughes fell on the ball, on his sternum. The ball is okay, Nathan seemed to be winded by it. We took him off because he was struggling to get his breath.

Josh Bassett has played every minute of every game so makes a bit of sense to give him a rest.

Campagnaro hasn't played on the wing too much but everyone knows where we are. Christian Wade has left, Marcus Watson is injured. So we're down to two out-and-out wingers.

Ross Neal has done well stepping in out there, so we have to look at alternatives who can play as well. Mike Daniels is just playing this weekend. He can't play next week because he isn't registered.

Glad to hear about Nathan.