Morning All

[Neils]

Morning One and All

Surprised to be first!  WAiting for a bit of light to get the dog out. Looks a miserable cold day like yesterday here but hope the Ricoh is in good condition.
Hard match this as any against a Chiefs side no matter who they put out. We need a win to keep up with the Covid pointees.

COYW  -  give us a happy New Year please.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Morning Neils.

Just took a few steps outside. Not so bad for playing rugby. Barely any wind (from the West), dry, light cloud.

Not sure what to expect today.

[coddy]

Morning Neils, morning all.

I've just climbed back into my bed with a nice hot, strong coffee to wake me up before I tackle the Daily News stories.

With Jack "the Jackal" Willis back in the starting 15 and us selecting Gaskell as well as Lanchers and Tiny and Exeter not having their first choice 2nd rowers, I think we should be able to dilute their strengths in the pick and go and lineout maul. I hope so anyway.


COYW

[Wombles]

Morning Neils, NWW, Codds and all waspies from a dark old Guildford. It is mornings like this that make me so pleased that we have rugby to look forward to. The next couple of months as we roll out the vaccine we are in a race with my NHS colleagues (of every role medical and non medical) of managing the demand and treating those affected by covid. Be assured we are going to win this race, but as both myself and my wife are medics in the nhs (general practice and emergency medicine respectively) the importance of having something to look forward to, that generates excitement and hope has never been more important. It is no little thing and this is why i and her are so grateful to all involved in rugby that this is still possible, and that so many roles are so important to keep us all going and why i am proud to be able to call street cleaners, refuse teams, shop workers, delivery drivers, public transport employees, carers, teachers, all those involved in sport and many others fellow key workers and to be part of that team. So with coffee in hand and a hound demanding his walk we look forward to our battle with Baxters chiefs.

No matter what side is put out by Exeter you know they will play with strength and unity, and that is testament to Baxter,  their coaches, players and the club that they are so formidable. We will have to be defensively on our game, pushing hard at the breakdown and matching power with power. However we must also put our style and stamp upon the game. We need to defend like England but play with the pace and verve that we are known for. Do this, make sure our basic skills are cement like and take our chances and we have a chance. But Baxter et al deserve respect and we must play at top gear from 1st to last second.

I cannot wait!

Come on you wasps! 

Chris

Once a Wasp ALWAYS a Wasp!

[Heathen]

Morning all from a grey South Bucks. Blue sky starting to appear, so no wet weather gear needed for walking the hound.

Coventry is forecast to be dry but chilly with light winds. Interesting team selections. I wonder if it will be a case of our Plan B against their Plan B today! Hopefully a competitive encounter with us shading the result. Fingers crossed.

#COYW

[MarleyWasp]

Morning All from a freezing Hertfordshire.

If the team play their way I think it'll be a Wasps win, but we cannot afford any errors today. Lee clearly has a master plan given the selection of Gaskell in the back row, where after all he came on as a sub in the final. I have a feeling a lot more will go our way today.

[WonkyWasp]

Good morning   everyone,  and happy  2021.  +1 on what Wombles said;  it's almost impossible to follow that, but I'll try.  2nd. go ......  Good morning  everyone; it's bloomin' cold outside  but almost all the snow on the mountain has disappeared  and the sun is shining.  Today is Tidy Up Day, excerpt for watching the match and maybe the occasional  dive behind the settee.  Good luck to you Team, enjoy the game and -yes - you CAN do it.  Allez Allez Allez and  C....O....Y.....W.....

[Brandnewtorugby]

Morning all, best wishes to you and yours.

What glorious weather, a calm blue sky and layer of frost on the ground. Perfect dog walking weather, hopefully once the ground thaws it will also be good rugby weather. Really looking forward to today's game. I hope that last week's rare win against Sale not only adds confidence, but also takes a little pressure off.

Here's to a great game, Come on You Wasps!

Take care,
Notso

[Montague Withnail]

Morning and happy new year from a snowy North Yorkshire, yesterday we had thaw and ‘orrible mud and slush and now  I wake to at least a couple of inches on the ground and still falling fast.

Great to read Wombles’ post this morning, I couldn’t agree more, especially as we have had to cancel all minis and juniors rugby yet again and the oiks are in rebellious mood.

A spot of pre-match tobogganing should slake their thirst for action and general recklessness.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Morning all,

Glorious here, blue sky sunshine and bright bright full moon. I'll be cooking our annual full English later and then walking it off before the game.

I'm really looking forward to this one as I think we're going to learn a lot about where we are in our development, win or lose:

The mental state the guys - they've shown lots of resilience and mental strength and that's definitely needed against Chiefs who can be relentless. I don't think losing the final will affect them judging by what was said on the last Any Sting Goes podcast.

Defence against the rolling maul - I always felt that was a weakness but recently they've been organised and looked confident when facing one. If they can disrupt Chiefs it bodes well for the rest of the season.

Defence against the pick and go - we've looked really good recently. Keeping Exeter out will be a real moral boost.

I don't think this is going to be a game for attack, but you never know.

Apart form that we could do with an injury free game.

COYW

[Steve from Cov]

Morning all,
Cold, frosty, sunny morning in Coventry today.
For me it is a Supermarket dash before a big breakfast before a walk around the Memorial Park before a dash home for the match on BT sport.
Despite missing Brad, Malakai, Zac, Ryan, Alfie, Rob etc. I think we have an excellent chance to beat Exeter today.
I think Jacob will hold the key. Lima needs to deliver.

[mike909]

(Late) Morning all

Bright and cold in S Glos and two sets of chores done, tea being consumed, dog to walk in 15.

As I hoped vs Sale - I'm hoping that we can keep playing decently rather than hoping for a particular result. In the end, we got both vs Sale and probably ought to have scored some more points - but were prevented in part by the Sale "pitch".......

Very much a horses for courses selection - if we match up front we will provide ourselves with the opportunity and with Dan and Jacob we ought not to be short of direction.

COYW

And finally - Happy New Year to everyone here

[Shugs]

Morning all. Interesting that there isn't a lot of confidence on the Chiefs boards for this although I suspect the team itself will not be of the same mindset. Playing Exeter these days is as much about believing you can win as anything else. Looks like Lee has a plan - let's hope it comes off.

[westwaleswasp]

Morning all.
Still just morning. Wet and miserable here, but will brighten up soon. Back to work soon- physically unless the Welsh Gov takes makes the call itself,  having passed the shutting decisions on. My primary age daughter will be off whilst I teach secondary age in person down the road. So rugby a hugely welcome distraction from all that. It would be great to start 2021 with a win. Enjoy the game everyone.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Snowing here now. Forecast to ease off and then get heavier as evening draws on. Hopefully The Ricoh (30 miles North of me) will not get this till the evening, but it is mightily cold out right now. Wrap up warm lads.