Teams Up for Wuss.

[Rossm]

 

Lee Blackett has named his side to face Worcester Warriors at Coventry Building Society Arena in Gallagher Premiership Round 23 this Saturday.

There are two personnel changes and one positional switch to the starting line up from the Challenge Cup win against Biarritz last week.

Josh Bassett starts at 11, which sees Zach Kibirige move to 14, with Jacob Umaga starting at full back to complete the back three line up.   

Dan Robson retains his place at scrum half and is joined by Charlie Atkinson at 10, whilst Jimmy Gopperth and Malakai Fekitoa form the centre partnership.

Following his hat-trick against Biarritz, Alfie Barbeary forms the back row alongside Brad Shields and Jack Willis, whilst captain Joe Launchbury lines up alongside Elliott Stooke in the second row.

The front row sees one change with Dan Frost joining Tom West and Biyi Alo.

Ryan Mills returns to the bench this weekend and is joined by Gabriel Oghre, Ben Harris, Elliot Millar-Mills, Tim Cardall, Tom Willis, Will Porter and Paolo Odogwu.

Wasps team to face Worcester Warriors at Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday 23 April (kick off 3pm)

1          T. West (70)

2          D. Frost (15)

3          B. Alo (36)

4          J. Launchbury (C) (167)

5          E. Stooke (22)

6          B. Shields (74)

7          J. Willis (72)

8          A. Barbeary (27)

9          D. Robson (152)

10       C. Atkinson (30)

11       J. Bassett (173)

12       J. Gopperth (150)

13       M. Fekitoa (44)

14       Z. Kibirige (61)

15       J. Umaga (66)

 

Replacements

16       G. Oghre (64)

17       B. Harris (86)

18       E. Millar-Mills (12)

19       T. Cardall (47)

20       T. Willis (72)

21       W. Porter (51)

22       R. Mills (11)

23       P. Odogwu (35) 

Unavailable (6): Rodrigo Martinez, Tom Cruse, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, James Gaskell, Vaea Fifita and Marcus Watson

[Neils]

Not bad. Good to see Charlie is fit.

[Rossm]

Presumably Ali Crossdale is a travelling reserve.

[MarleyWasp]

To play:

Warriors | 15 Harri Doel, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Oli Morris, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Will Chudley, 1 Murray McCallum, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Joe Batley, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Kyle Hatherell, 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Ted Hill (C).

Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Jack Owlett, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Seb Atkinson.

[Rossm]

Is that two ex of ours in their 23: Billy Searle and Sione Vailanu?

[Steve from Cov]

Is that two ex of ours in their 23: Billy Searle and Sione Vailanu?

Yep.

[Shugs]

And Jack Owlett. No Van der Merwe is a plus. As expected for us. Presumably the winger juggling is just rotation.

[matelot22]

Black and gold tinted glasses perhaps, but I really can't see any area where they may be stronger. (all good in theory I know!)

[DGP Wasp]

Strong looking side.  Think I'd have preferred Odogwu on one of the wings, but he could have quite an impact off the bench and also cover outside centre.

Barbeary over T Willis remains the tightest of selection calls, but Alfie is making himself undroppable which is harsh on TW.

Need all 5 points from this one.  With Sale having the week off, we know we can at least move above them, and Irish are on a pretty rotten run in the league and still have to sit a week out, so both are very much there for the taking.  Gloucester predictably got the 5 points for their cancelled game at Wuss, but neither they or Saints are a million miles away, and Saints are without both Biggar and Lawes for a while at least, and still have to face both Quins and Sarries.  Top 4 probably just out of reach (realistically), but 5th or 6th definitely on the cards.

[DGP Wasp]

Black and gold tinted glasses perhaps, but I really can't see any area where they may be stronger. (all good in theory I know!)

Not sure any tinted glasses are required.  Wasps stronger (on paper) across the board.  However....

[Neils]

Nice of DVdM the break a rib. Frightening player.

[RogerE]

I can't get my head round how many games Bassett has played for us.

[Heathen]

very happy to see Frost get the starting berth at hooker. Should be too strong for Wuus, but we need the mindset to be right.

[Peej]

I think Crossdale could be off by the end of next season. Such promise, but has completely dropped out of the reckoning now. Thems the breaks, I suppose.

I think I would have started Paolo, but everything else is as expected. You can't swap Alfie out after last week - even if I still think Tom is a better all rounder and a more complete 8 currently. 

Let's hope we can back up the last two games and have a bit of consistency of performance to go with consistency in selection.

[Steve from Cov]

Steve Diamond publicly criticised his team's efforts in their last game so we should expect a reaction.

His team's are always up for a scrap and are very happy to be underdogs so I doubt there will be an easy victory. 

Wasps selection looks settled and the bench looks awesome. Its a pity we cannot extend it to include the likes of Crossdale, Thomas and Nizaam etc.