Teams Up

[Rossm]

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.”

[wasps]

All doom and gloom aside, that's not bad at all.
The key for us will be how well our 9 and 10 play.

The pack is strong, even though we're on 3rd/4th choice hookers, and without most of our first choice locks and back row.
With the exception of 9 and 10, our backs are about as strong as we can put out this season (although JdJ would be there somewhere)

I'm not expecting any miracles, but it's definitely a better team than I was expecting and I hope a few players gain a lot of experience from the occasion.

[RBB]

Looks pretty strong on paper (screen), let's hope we don't amass more injuries.....the 9 and 10 pairing will be interesting to see.

Linking this to another post http://onceawasp.com/forums/index.php?topic=565.0 ,I personally am still puzzled by the enigma that is Ambrose Curtis, not getting any game time and no public reports of injuries...and on a salary (reported by others) not pay as you play. He did look decent in the Welcome intro on the Wasps website and from what I have seen on YouTube etc. Any insights?

[BG]

Looks pretty strong on paper (screen), let's hope we don't amass more injuries.....the 9 and 10 pairing will be interesting to see.

Linking this to another post http://onceawasp.com/forums/index.php?topic=565.0 ,I personally am still puzzled by the enigma that is Ambrose Curtis, not getting any game time and no public reports of injuries...and on a salary (reported by others) not pay as you play. He did look decent in the Welcome intro on the Wasps website and from what I have seen on YouTube etc. Any insights?

Effectively that squad is our remaining fit players, but at least our backline is becoming more settled

Regarding Curtis.. does he have a Twitter or Instagram account that might shed any light on the current situation

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Regarding Curtis.. does he have a Twitter or Instagram account that might shed any light on the current situation

He does have a Twitter account, but has not used it for 4 years.

[baldpaul101]

He does have an Instagram account. He seems to train with the others without any issue, he certainly doesn't appear to be injured. I guess he just isn't looking good enough in training.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Disappointed to see Lima on the bench and not starting.

[Dgwasp]

Decent side, similar thoughts about Lima but if ever there is an opportunity to give home a break and Billy some game time this is it.  Still no, Taylor and Chesty... Hopefully it is just a case of them not being rushed back rather than anything being a problem following the trip to the specialist last week.

Overall this is a decent side, it has balance and enough talent to make a competitive game of it.

As for Curtis, I wonder if he is bulking up and getting used to Northern Hemisphere XVs rugby before being chucked in...

[coddy]

Stronger team than expected but Dai did say whoever is fit is in the 23.

Slightly concerned that Daly has had the captaincy taken away with all this going to Saracens talk.

[BG]

Stronger team than expected but Dai did say whoever is fit is in the 23.

Slightly concerned that Daly has had the captaincy taken away with all this going to Saracens talk.

I wouldn't read too much into the transfer of captaincy other than Dai has probably realised that Daly is in the main ineffectual in that role.

Given most penalties are given around the location of scrum, ruck or maul, also relating to those 3 it helps if someone arguing their case knows what's going on and is somehwere near to the pack when the penalties are awarded.

I think Ashley, Gaskell and Shields are better options